


Different Fate

by lover_angel16



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: 57th Expedition, Adopted Levi, Alive!Carla (for now), Alive!Grisha (for now), Alternate Universe, Blood and Injury, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Death, Comfort/Angst, Crying Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Eren to the Rescue, Eren’s Scarf, Eventual Levi/Eren Yeager, Female Titan Arc, Fluff, Friends as Family, Isabel and Eren are Related, Kid!Levi, Kidnapping, Levi Likes Eren, Levi smiles, M/M, Protective Eren Yeager, Protective Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Protectiveness, The Underground, Titan Shifter Eren Yeager, eren likes levi, kid!Eren
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-19
Updated: 2019-04-18
Packaged: 2019-05-09 03:33:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 21
Words: 153,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14708331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lover_angel16/pseuds/lover_angel16
Summary: What if instead of it being Mikasa, Levi was the one who Eren rescued from the human traffickers? Just how different would Levi and Eren’s relationship be when they have to fight against the titans while trying to keep each other alive?





	1. One: Part One

**Author's Note:**

> Had this idea pop in my brain while watching SNK so I wrote it down. I’ll add the tags as I continue the story. Hope you all enjoy!
> 
> SNK or its characters are not my property. This is purely for entertainment purposes.

It was a peaceful yet rainy day for the people residing in Wall Maria. The clouds were an endless shade of grey with large droplets of rain quickly falling from the sky, soaking the ground and making puddles everywhere. Nobody was seen walking the streets, making the village look like a ghost town with how quiet it was. People were inside their cozy homes, trying to do anything to pass the time until the rain ceased.

The same could be said for a family of two that lived just on the outskirts of Wall Maria. In an open field, surrounded by dewy grass and many types of herbs and plants, sat a little house that was just as still and quiet as the rest.

The house, though isolated, radiated a sense of comfort and ease. Inside, there was a kitchen that held every appliance one might need for whatever reason. There was an open doorway that led into a small sitting room, which had a small couch and two desks on either end with a candle that was not lit. In front of the couch was a table that was clean except for the two cups that had previously been used.

There was another open doorway that led into a hallway. It was relatively short, and at the very end, it split off in three directions. The two doors on opposite sides were in fact rooms that, just like the rest of the house, were spotless. One had a bed that would fit a grown up while the other was a bit smaller, most likely able to accommodate a child for a good few years. Both rooms had little furniture, but it didn't take away from the sense of familiarity they possessed.

The door in the middle led into a bathroom that had all the necessities for the two residents. There was a window inside in front of its sink, which allowed for a perfect view of the garden outside. There were many plants and herbs that could be used for almost anything, and it looked taken care of. Not a single weed could be seen and everything had its proper place, which made the garden look beautiful and delicate. The flowers were closed in on themselves, seeking shelter against the harsh rain that fell upon them.

Sitting at a table placed in the kitchen, a mother and her child were quietly knitting a fabric that took up all of their attention. The little boy, who didn't look to be even ten years old, had his tongue stuck out as his eyes focused on his work. The mother was also focused, but every once in a while she looked at her son and smiled at the image he was creating.

After a few more silent minutes of working, the boy placed his needle on the table at a safe distance away and held in front of him the tiny piece of fabric, scrutinizing it. When he deemed it was to his liking, he showed it to his mother, who was still working on her own piece.

"Momma, I'm finished!" he said. The mother looked up and put her supplies aside before she reached out and took the fabric in her hands to inspect it more closely. The boy waited patiently for his mother to finish, but his eyes held so much light in them, unable to hide his joy at finishing something important such as this.

"Did I do a good job, momma?" he asked. He hoped she said yes. He hated to disappoint his mother when it came to anything. It was a constant fear of his that his mother had repeatedly told him would never happen, but try as he might, he couldn't shake it away. That was just his nature.

The woman looked up at her son with a bright smile. Her eyes shone like diamonds and they crinkled with the force of her smile. "It's wonderful, Levi! You've picked up the techniques very quickly," she praised. Levi ducked his head and tried to use his hair to cover his blush, a fruitless attempt that resulted in his mother chuckling at him.

The woman put her son's work on the table and leaned over to rub her son's head. He looked up and gave his mother a tiny smile, the blush still prominent on his pale cheeks. The duo just stared at one another, love and affection oozing out of them.

It was amazing how similar the two looked like each other. They both had jet black hair, dull blue eyes with small specks of grey in the irises, and a pale complexion. Even their hair style was incredibly alike. The mother, whose name was Kuchel Ackerman, had her hair parted more to one side than the other and it flowed down her back in soft waves. Levi, her son, had the same style, but his hair was shorter with an undercut.

"You must keep this tradition alive, Levi. All of the Ackerman's before us did the same so we have to honor them. Once you have children of your own, teach it to them so that they will carry on our legacy," Kuchel explained. Levi nodded, knowing how important their heritage was. He valued the strength that his ancestors possessed and he wanted to be strong just like them.

His mother had told him more than once that he harbored incredible strength for a child his age. He felt intense pride whenever she said that because it meant that he was one step closer to achieving his dream of being like his ancestors. He knew he had power and strength, and that mostly came from the life they used to live.

Originally, Levi and his mother were living in the Underground, a no good area where death was an everyday occurrence. People died from disease, starvation, or from murder. Everyday was a battle to survive and they were no different. Kuchel was a prostitute, a job that she hated with a passion. Unfortunately, there weren't anymore options and money was needed to eat so she did it anyway.

After a night with a client, Kuchel wound up pregnant and decided to keep the baby, even though it was incredibly dangerous to have one in a place where one could die at any moment. When Levi was born, she worked even harder to earn enough money for the both of them. This caused Levi to be alone most of the time, which was why he preferred to be on his own rather than with people.

When Levi was five, his mother came home one evening and told him to pack up anything he needed, even though there wasn't much. She told him they were leaving and going up above, and Levi was so thrilled about finally getting away that he didn't think about what had caused his mother to suddenly make that decision or the dangers that could possibly await them.

It was incredibly risky to leave the Underground. The closer one got to the surface, the more dangerous it became. There were thugs lurking in the shadows, waiting for unsuspecting victims to torment, and many other things that could ruin one's dreams to reach the top. Even though the dangers were everywhere, Kuchel and Levi managed to make it to the surface with relative ease.

Levi remembered seeing the sun for the first time. How he closed his eyes and shielded his face to the bright light. After he got used to it, he dropped his hand and looked around, marveling at the beauty surrounding him. For the first time, he felt the weight of the world lift off his shoulders and the warmth from the sun engulf him in a gentle caress.

Once the pair got their fill in, they made the journey to the nearest town to get their residency as civilians. It was a tiring process, but after a couple of months, they were now official residents just like everyone else. However, they didn't stay in Sina for long. They felt so out of place that they decided to move to the outskirts of Wall Maria, where it was peaceful and they had everything to themselves.

They were lucky enough to find an abandoned house and once it was clean and fit to live in, they made themselves right at home. Every week, they would go to the nearby village and get their weekly groceries. It was there that Levi met his two best friends, Furlan and Isabel.

Furlan was a tall, ten year old blonde who had bright blue eyes and a warm smile. He was incredibly smart and had a soothing voice, a good attribute since he was the voice of reason whenever a situation arose. Because of his sense of responsibility, he was the one that pulled him and Isabel out of trouble.

Isabel, on the other hand, was loud and had tons of energy. Her voice was always cheery, a little loud, but cheery nonetheless. Her eyes were like the forest trees, bright green that held a determination in them no matter what. She was also extremely protective of those she cared about, often getting into fights with other kids, and sometimes adults, because of it. Though it was tiring to constantly drag her away from those she wanted to fight, Levi loved her all the same.

They were the only friends that Levi had, and that made him appreciate them that much more. Unlike him, they lived in the village so they could only visit during the weekend when they weren't busy with their studies or other chores. Levi wished he could go and visit them, but his mother never allowed him to leave alone. She said it was dangerous, but whenever he asked why, she wouldn't answer. It was like she knew something that he didn't and it frustrated him sometimes. He never liked being out of the loop.

But he didn't let that take away from the life he lived. He was happy now and he had his mother to thank. She was the one who got him out and she always protected him. Someday, he would repay her for everything.

"Let's get this cleaned up, shall we? Remember, Dr. Yeager is visiting later today. Maybe he'll bring Eren with him so that you two can spend some time together," his mother said with a suggestive smile on her face. At the mention of the older boy, Levi blushed once again and averted his eyes to stare at the opposite wall.

Levi had only seen and talked to Eren a handful of times, and he always ruined it because of his shyness. The reason was because Eren had this effect on him, but he didn't know what. Maybe it was the other boy's attitude.

Eren was the complete opposite of Levi. He was energetic, lively, and very opinionated. He also had a mouth on him, which would often get him in trouble. In a way, he reminded Levi of Isabel with his personality. But, maybe Levi also had some kind of effect on Eren. Whenever they would see each other, Eren would let a light blush dust his cheeks and his green eyes would look away as he mumbled out a "Hello."

With just that single word, Levi felt his insides tremble and his heart stutter. Levi didn't know why he was having these reactions, but when he told his mother, she said that he would understand when he was older. Trusting his mother's judgement, he dropped the subject and didn't think about it again. Until now.

In order to avoid talking about the subject, Levi stood up from his chair and started to gather the supplies from earlier. His mother, getting the hint that he didn't want to talk about it, followed suit and helped him. In a couple of minutes, everything was cleared off the table and placed in their proper area.

"Why don't I make us some soup until Dr. Yeager arrives?" Kuchel asked him. He nodded and went to gather the vegetables for his mother. When he came back, she took them from him and motioned for him to sit down despite his requests to help her. Following his mother's orders, he sat back down on his chair and watched as she expertly cut the vegetables. She was humming a song, one that Levi knew from the times she would sing it to him so that he would fall asleep.

It was quiet save for his mother's humming, the sound of a knife chopping, and the rain outside. It didn't sound as heavy as before, adding a soothing rhythm to the song his mother was humming. Levi felt himself relax at the calm atmosphere. A few minutes later, a rough knock sounded at the door, making him and his mother freeze.

From his spot at the table, Levi could see that his mother's body was tense as she stared at the door with narrowed eyes. His mother's reaction caused his own body to tense up, preparing for a fight. Whoever was at the door was someone who obviously wasn't invited. Levi knew for sure that it wasn't Furlan or Isabel, since they always announced that they had arrived. It was a weekday anyway and he doubted they would be let out in this weather. Dr. Yeager knocked on the door with a soft hand, nothing like the rough pounding that was still happening.

When neither of them made a move towards the door to open it, whoever was on the other end stopped their abuse on the door. The silence seemed to go on forever to Levi, but he knew that just because the sound was gone didn't mean that the person was as well. His body was coiled, almost like a snake waiting to strike its prey.

Suddenly, the door burst open with so much force that it hit the wall behind it with a loud bang. Levi jumped, his instincts going haywire at the sight of the three unknown men standing in front of him. He stood up abruptly, the chair falling over in his haste to get up. He looked for a weapon to defend himself with, but came up empty handed.

The three men had maniacal grins on their faces, one armed with a giant ax, another with a knife, and the other with nothing at all. Seeing the weapons, Levi suddenly realized that these men weren't here for a cup of tea and a chat. They were here to kill.

The leader, a burly man who looked to be the oldest of the trio, pointed the knife towards him and his mother, who he could see from the corner of his eye reach for her own knife she had let go of earlier. She was doing it discreetly, so she wouldn't alert the trio. The look in her normally kind eyes took him by surprise. No longer were they warm and bright, but cold and dark, almost as if she was facing demons from her past.

"We finally found you Kuchel. You know, we've been trying to locate you ever since you left," the burly man said in greeting. His eyes were predatory and it made Levi gulp. He had never seen someone with such eyes before. Instead of replying, his mother growled, almost sounding like an animal.

"Don't be like that. As long as you two come with us peacefully, there will be no harm," he stated with fake sincerity. Levi stood as still as a statue, not knowing what to do. He wanted to go to his mother, wanted to be wrapped in her protective embrace as if that was enough to shield him from the dangerous men in their home. But he knew that if he made one wrong step, it could result in him being killed.

"Like hell I'll ever go anywhere with you pigs," his mother sneered in disgust. She had the knife in her hand in a tight grip, making her already white knuckles even whiter. The man sighed in disappointment, but then offered another smile.

"Oh well. If you won't come with us, I guess we'll have to take your son instead in your place. He looks just like you so he'll catch a heavy price," he said almost like an afterthought. At the word "price," Levi realized just who they were exactly dealing with. These men were human traffickers, only a few from the Underground that dared to come to the surface.

But how did they know his mother? Were they her clients at one point? Or were they just observing her, waiting for the right time to strike? And, most of all, how did they know where they lived? All of these questions and more were circling in Levi's head, making him feel dizzy. Maybe this was the reason why his mother never allowed him to go out on his own. She knew that people were after her, which explained why she never told him why they left in such a hurry from the Underground.

The man with the ax in his hand took a step towards him, and since he didn't have any type of weapon, he involuntarily took a step back. He needed to put as much distance between him and the unknown threat. "STAY AWAY FROM MY SON!" his mother screamed in anger as she charged at the man with her knife. Her eyes were crazed and filled with the desire to kill, something that Levi had never seen, even in the Underground.

When his mother reached the man, she tried to stab him but was stopped since he had grabbed her wrists to defend himself. The third man came forward to try and aid his comrade, but Kuchel managed to kick him away with her left leg, which caused him to stumble against the wall and slide down as he held his bleeding nose.

Levi watched as his mother thrashed in her captor's arms, her fighting instinct taking over any rational thought she might've had. He knew he should help her, but he couldn't make himself move. He was entranced with his mother's actions, seeing as he'd never experienced this side of her.

Even though she was busy fighting one of her attackers, out of the corner of her eye she saw that Levi was still standing near the knocked down chair. "Get out of here, Levi! Find somewhere safe!" she called out to him, hoping to snap him out of his trance. In an instant, his eyes looked at her and she could see a hint of fear in them. It broke her heart that she couldn't protect him from this danger. She failed her son in keeping him safe.

"But what about you? I can't just leave you here!" he questioned. It wasn't fair of him to abandon his mother when she needed him the most. After everything she's done, he had to leave her in the hands of those who wanted to harm her? "Don't worry about me! Just run away as fast as you can!" she screamed in earnest as she continued to try to free her wrists.

Knowing that what his mother said was for the best, Levi tried to turn around but his eyes just wouldn't leave the scene in front of him. He could see from the look in the man's eyes that he was losing his patience. His teeth were clenched and his eyes were narrowed. Having finally lost his cool, he let go of one of his mother's wrists and raised his hand that held the ax.

Levi knew what was going to happen, but no words came out to warn his mother of her impending doom. She wouldn't be able to get away quick enough. "Forget this! A slut like you isn't worth this much trouble!" the man yelled with a sneer. His hand shot down, the ax making contact and slicing through a part of his mother's neck. It made a disgusting sound as it cut through his mother's flesh. Blood instantly spilled out and splattered on the floor and his mother's screams and thrashing vanished. The knife slipped from her delicate fingers and made a clattering noise as it landed on the ground.

Levi froze and his eyes widened at the sight of his mother severely wounded. He saw the man let go of her other wrist and she fell to the ground, clutching her neck to try to stop the bleeding. Even Levi knew it was futile, but he silently prayed that his mother would be able to pull through and fight just like she always did.

As she landed on the ground, her eyes met his and they looked sad and painful. Her bloody hand reached out to him, shaking with the amount of effort it must've taken, but she couldn't lift it high enough. A few seconds passed before her hand dropped to the ground and Levi saw the life drain from his mother's eyes. The once bright eyes that he loved were gone, replaced by the look of death.

After a few seconds of staring, Levi's body started to shake and his eyes welled up with unshed tears. His mom had died protecting him and what did he do? Absolutely nothing! She needed his help and he just stood there and watched her die so gruesomely. He had lost his mother and it was all his fault.

It felt like his body had gone completely numb all of a sudden. His feet were glued to the floor it felt like, making it impossible to move at all. He didn't know whether he wanted to go towards his lifeless mother or run away like she had asked him to do. His eyes were still staring at her lax face, her eyes staring at him even though he knew that she would never blink again. He was the last thing she saw before she died and she took a part of him with her.

She was laying in a puddle of her own blood, which was growing larger by the second as the liquid poured out of her neck. The smell of copper and knowing that it was hers made his nose and throat burn, almost causing him to vomit on the spot. Why was it so hard to look away and run? Was it because he was afraid? To be frank, he didn't really care for the answer.

This was the first time he had felt the entirety of fear consume him. Before, he had his mother to calm him down with her gentle words and soft embraces. Now, he had none of that and would never have it again. He was left to feel fear at its highest point and he hated it. It made him realize that he let his enemy win.

He vaguely heard the men at the door shouting, but he couldn't bring himself to care what they were talking about. What could he care about? Everything was taken away from him in an instant. One second he had everything and then the next, it was gone. He didn't have anyone or anything left.

He didn't realize that the man who had killed his mother was standing in front of him with that evil grin on his face. The ax he once held was now on the ground, covered with blood. However, he did feel the cold hands grasping his shoulders in a bruising grip that made him flinch. He stared up at the man blankly, his emotions draining by the second.

"Don't do anything stupid or you'll end up just like her. Understand?" the man asked. Levi didn't answer him, he just didn't have the strength to. Apparently, the man wanted an answer because his hands squeezed him tighter, but later one disappeared.

Levi saw the man raise his fist, but didn't do anything to stop him. There was nothing he could do anyway. "This'll keep you quiet," the man said before he brought his fist down. Levi felt the strong punch aimed at his cheek and soon, the only thing he could feel was darkness engulfing him.


	2. One: Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren and his father arrive at Ms. Ackerman’s house, but the sight that greets them isn’t exactly friendly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter’s a little bit shorter and I apologize for that! Hopefully the next one is a bit longer.
> 
> This one is in Eren’s POV. It’ll switch between him and Levi, but I’ll still say who’s POV it’s in.

"Mom!! I can put on my coat myself, you know!" a ten year old Eren whined as his mother tried to help him. She narrowed her eyes at him, not liking her son's attitude.

"Listen, young man. I'm just trying to help you. I don't want you catching a cold because you didn't cover yourself properly. Remember, you're walking to Ms. Ackerman's house and that's quite far, especially in this weather. You'll surely get soaked if you do it yourself," she retaliated.

Eren huffed, but allowed his mother to finish helping him. To him, it was embarrassing that his mother still treated him like a baby. He was already ten for the love of god! The least she could do was let up on the coddling. However, she did allow him to go with his father to see Ms. Ackerman and Levi so that was a start. He didn't want to make her upset and be forced to stay home because he couldn't appreciate her help.

Whenever his father left to see his patients, Eren was never allowed to accompany him. His parents always told him that he would get in the way of his father's work. This caused Eren to become furious and, after a pretty nasty argument with his parents about it, they reluctantly allowed him to go on the next trip, as long as he behaved.

Eren was excited when the day finally arrived. So much in fact that he woke up extremely early and got himself ready, which shocked his mother since he never was excited about anything. Once they all ate their breakfast, he and his father set off to see his father’s patient for the day.

As it turned out, the person his father was going to visit was Kuchel Ackerman, but Eren called her Ms. Ackerman. He may be a reckless boy, but he did have manners and he knew when to use them. Eren was surprised that she lived away from the village, since not many people preferred to be out on their own. Especially with the threat of titans looming over their heads.

Nevertheless, Eren had to admit that her home was peaceful, surrounded by nature and wildlife. It was the first time he had seen this part of Wall Maria. When he saw Ms. Ackerman, the first thing that was brought to his attention were her eyes. They were a mix between blue and grey, a combination he had never seen before.

She was a very nice woman, offering them both drinks and anything else they might want. In a way, she reminded Eren of his own mother, except the coddling. When they were sitting in the living room, she had called out someone by the name of "Levi." At first, he had thought that whoever she called out to was her husband or partner, but instead of seeing a tall man walk through the doorway, he saw a boy of about his age.

Eren remembered the boy's shyness as he mumbled out a "Hello" to him and his father before sitting next to his mother. His fingers were twitching every once in a while and his black hair hid most of his face. He didn't look up, but when he did, Eren saw the same eyes as the woman look at him. They were blue and grey, but they were surrounded by long lashes that made the color pop out so much more.

Though Levi and his mother looked identical, Eren thought that Levi looked more beautiful. Whenever the two of them would be left alone, he would blush involuntarily whenever he so much as gazed at the other boy. This caused him to almost always look away from Levi, determined to not embarrass himself in front of someone he liked.

During that first visit, he and Levi made small talk, occasionally stopping to figure out what to discuss next. When the visit was over and Eren and his father returned home, he remembered asking his mother about what he was feeling. Her response was a dreamy smile and her eyes glittered. "What you're feeling is called love, Eren. Though you're still too young to know what love is. Just wait until you're older, then you'll know," she said.

Eren, confused about what love meant, forgot about the subject. He only thought about it when he would go with his father to visit Ms. Ackerman. He's gone a couple of times, and each time was the same for him and Levi. Though nothing really changed, Eren's feelings did. He found himself thinking about Levi more often and it both frustrated and relaxed him whenever he pictured that pale face with captivating eyes.

So, whenever he went to see the other boy, he always tried to make a good impression. It felt weird to him since he usually never cared about what other people thought about him. But this was Levi. He would always be an exception. So, when his father announced that he was going to visit her again, Eren jumped at the chance to go. Even though it was raining, that wouldn't stop him from seeing Levi again.

When his mother was finally done, she let him go after she wrapped his red scarf around his neck. Eren met up with his father, who was already at the door with his medical bag waiting for him. After saying a quick goodbye to his mother, the two exited the warm house and were met with the chilly air and rain.

Not wanting to waste time, they started their journey to Ms. Ackerman's house. It was usually a 15 minute walk to arrive near their home, but because of the rain, it would most likely take 30 minutes at the least. Eren mentally cursed the rain because it meant that he wouldn't be able to see Levi sooner. To be quite honest, the only reason why he went with his father was because of Levi.

The entire journey was quiet between Eren and his father. While his father was a very intelligent man, he didn't talk often, which caused a sort of strain in their relationship. Eren loved his father, no doubt about that, but sometimes he wished that they could do things together as a family. Though that would most likely never happen. His father was always busy working so it was just him and his mother most of the time.

Eren, for some reason, felt odd as they neared their destination. The quiet, while previously never an issue, unnerved him. It was as if something bad was going to happen, either to him or someone else. The rain wasn't helping his suspicion either. He glanced at his father to see if he had the same feeling, but the older man just looked ahead, unfazed by the weather. Eren furrowed his eyebrows, thinking that he was just overreacting because of the thought of seeing Levi.

Passing through some trees, Eren could finally see the familiar house a couple of feet in front of him. The rain made it a little hard to see though. Although Eren wished to run towards the house, he didn't want to seem eager. He had a reputation to uphold after all. Besides, he didn't want to slip and get dirty. Levi would be annoyed with him if he saw his dirty clothes. For some reason, Levi had a very keen desire for cleanliness. But Eren didn't mind. It just made him even more special in his eyes.

So, keeping his temptations in check, Eren walked side by side with his father as they slowly made their way to the front door. Every step was torture for him, but his excitement peaked when they finally reached the door.

As his father knocked on the door, Eren clenched his hands in anticipation as he waited impatiently for the door to open. When it didn't, he frowned in confusion. Ms. Ackerman always answered the door on the first knock. She never kept them waiting, especially if the weather was bad. So, why wasn't she opening the door?

His father knocked again, but there was no answer. Only silence. Once again, Eren felt the anxiety and nervousness return. Something was wrong. There's no way that Ms. Ackerman or Levi would not answer. They knew that they were coming.

His father, apparently tired of waiting, gently opened the door. It made a creaking sound, which only increased Eren's unease. "Excuse me? Ms. Ackerman? It's me, Dr. Yeager," his father announced. Even though it wasn't a yell, his voice roared through the quiet house. When there was no response, his father opened the door even more, but then suddenly stopped.

Eren blinked at his father's change in attitude. Angling his head to the left, he could see that his father's eyes were wide behind his glasses, a trace of horror evident in them. Now, something was really wrong. His father was never afraid of anything. What could've caused his father to act in such a way?

Not being able to handle the silence any longer, Eren spoke. "Dad? What's wrong?" he asked. His father didn't answer him, but went inside the house at a very slow pace. Eren followed him, but was momentarily stopped by his father's words. "Don't come in here, Eren! Stay outside!" he ordered.

Eren was never good at following orders, so it was no surprise that he went inside anyway. As soon as he stepped through the door, the strong smell of copper hit his nose and he covered it with his red scarf. Looking for his father, he froze and his eyes widened when he saw him kneeling in front of a fallen body.

"Eren! I thought I told you to stay outside! You shouldn't see this!" his father yelled. Eren heard him, but all he was focused on was the body in the pool of blood. Though it was facing away from him, Eren instantly knew who it was. There was no mistaking that black hair and signature clothing. The person laid before him was Ms. Ackerman.

Eren couldn't believe that what he was seeing was actually real. The nice woman who treated him like her own son was dead. Her body still like a statue, surrounded by her own blood, practically drowning in it. Her chest would never rise again, and Eren would never see the warmth in those grey eyes anymore. That sweet and gentle voice would never be heard by anyone.

Eren felt his heart breaking into pieces at the sight. If he was feeling this way about Ms. Ackerman's death, then he couldn't imagine what Levi was going through. As soon as that thought filtered through his brain, Eren's eyes snapped back into focus and he frantically searched around the kitchen, but couldn't find who he was looking for.

If Ms. Ackerman was here, then where was Levi?! Surely he couldn't have suffered the same fate as his mother! Eren swept his eyes across the room once more, but nothing changed. Levi was nowhere to be seen. At once, his body tensed and his eyes were wild, his protective instincts flaring up at the lack of the other boy.

"LEVI?!?" he called out to the silent house. He exited the room and ran the entire perimeter of the house, even checking the rooms, but no matter how hard he looked, he couldn't find a single trace of Levi anywhere. It was like he completely disappeared from existence. He continued to call out his name, hoping by some miracle that if he continued to call out for him, Levi would magically appear in front of him.

When his hope didn't happen, he slowly walked back to his father's side, who was still kneeled in front of Ms. Ackerman's dead body. Now that Eren was with his father, he could see her face. Her dark eyes were blank, devoid of any warmth and emotion that were once always present. Her skin was now an ashy grey color, the porcelain feel and sight forever gone.

Now that he had a glimpse of her face, the only thing he could think of now was the fact that somewhere out there, Levi could also look like this. Just the thought of Levi lying dead on the ground with such a distraught look in his beautiful eyes made Eren tremble. However, it wasn't because of fear, but of pure anger.

Levi was still alive. He was positive about that. The kid had too much fight and spirit in him to give up so easily. The question now was...where was he? Levi would never leave his mother alone, even if she was dead, and Ms. Ackerman obviously didn't kill herself. So, the only other explanation would be that someone came into their house, killed her, and possibly took Levi.

Levi being in the hands of some stranger made Eren uneasy on so many levels. He wanted so badly to look for him, just to make sure he was safe. The only problem was that he didn't know where to start searching. From the look of Ms. Ackerman's body, she had been there for quite some time and whoever had Levi could be anywhere by now. On the other hand, Eren doubted that this person would travel far with an unknown child. There were too many risks.

So, that would mean that wherever Levi was, he wouldn't be too far to reach. Eren was just about to leave the house and go out searching for Levi, but a hand on his shoulder abruptly stopped him in his tracks. Glaring at the offending hand that kept him from his ultimate goal, he stared up at his father, who had a look in his eyes that told Eren he knew exactly what he was planning to do.

"Don't even think about it, Eren. It's much too dangerous for you to look for Levi on your own," his father said. His eyes were strict, but Eren couldn't bring himself to care what his father was saying. Right now, the only thing that mattered to him was Levi. Everything else would have to wait.

"So what do you expect me to do? I can't just sit here knowing that Levi could possibly be dead out there!" he yelled. He knew that he would most likely get in trouble for talking back to his father in such a manner, but if it meant that he could save Levi, he would gladly take the punishment. The hand on his shoulder tightened and he flinched a little at the force.

"I'm going to search for the Military Police, okay? They'll be able to help us find Levi," he said. Eren rolled his eyes and scoffed at the mention of the men that, supposedly, did everything in their power to help them. Those good for nothing idiots could care less about the well being of the people. All they did was sit around and drink whiskey until they passed out from intoxication.

"They're not going to help us at all. All they'll do is sit around and forget about him! I'd rather do it myself," Eren said. No way was he putting Levi's life in the hands of drunks and lazy asses. He may be a lot younger, but he was positive that he could do much more than those men.

"You'll do no such thing, Eren! I'm ordering you to stay here while I leave to search for the Military Police. You are not allowed to leave for any reason. Understood?" his father asked. It was meant to sound like a question, but Eren knew that it was an order. Clenching his fists, he looked down at the ground with so much hatred that if looks could kill, the ground wouldn't be there anymore.

"Understood," he ground out through his clenched teeth. His eyes were squeezed shut, like saying that one word took up all of his energy. In a way, it did because that energy could've been put to good use to search for Levi. However, he knew that with his father here, he wouldn't be allowed to go out, even if it was to save a life.

His father's hand retracted from his shoulder and Eren could hear shuffling behind him. From under his hair, he could see and hear his father's footsteps as he walked towards the front door. "I'll only be gone for a short while. Remember, you are to stay in this house until I return," was all his father said before he closed the door and left.

Eren waited until he could no longer hear his father's footsteps before he let out an angry yell and punched the ground. His eyes were wide and filled with anger. He was angry at his father, he was angry at those kidnappers, and he was angry at himself. If only he had come sooner none of this would've happened. Ms. Ackerman would still be alive and smiling at him while she offered drinks and cookies, Levi would be sitting at the kitchen table, shyly talking to him with that small smile plastered on his face. Everything would be the way it should be, but not this time.

He glanced back at Ms. Ackerman's body and felt his anger increase. He slowly withdrew his fist from the ground and knelt down on his knees so that we was sitting in front of the woman who was like a second mother to him. Her eyes were still open and Eren cursed his father for not closing them before he left. Placing his hand over her eyes, Eren gently closed them and removed his hand. With her eyes closed, Ms. Ackerman looked at peace.

Eren continued to look at her for a few moments before he stood up and walked towards the window on the opposite side of the kitchen. The rain had mostly stopped, only small droplets occasionally falling from the grey sky. The weather perfectly expressed Eren's current mood.

No matter what his father said, he couldn't stay here any longer. The silence was getting to him and Levi's life was at stake. Surely his father would understand where he was coming from. If he found Levi, then maybe his father wouldn't be upset with him. After all, he did save someone's life. Eren already lost Ms. Ackerman, there was no way he would lose Levi as well. He was the only friend he had and he'd be damned before he would let anything happen to him.

Now filled with determination, Eren looked away from the window and towards Ms. Ackerman. Her still body further increased his determination to save Levi from whoever had him captive. Levi deserved to live and Eren was going to make sure of that.

 _'I'll find him and bring him back alive. I promise,'_ he vowed to Ms. Ackerman. Wherever she was now, he hoped that she heard him and that she was at peace. Hopefully she would help him while he searched for her son.

Now that he knew he would search for Levi, he just needed to figure out where to start. Eren knew that whoever took him wouldn't have gotten far, especially with the rain. And there was no way they would risk going into town, since there was a chance that someone would spot them. So, the safest bet would be that they were still somewhere in the area. Not too close to the village, but far enough from the crime scene. They would most likely find shelter to protect themselves from the rain.

Just then, an idea popped into Eren's brain. Because of the fact that this area was quite far from the village, there were a couple of abandoned houses scattered around. They were all quite a distance apart from each other, which allowed for a high sense of privacy from their neighbors. If something happened, most likely nobody else would know about it.

That would mean that Levi could possibly be in one of the abandoned houses! On their way here, Eren remembered seeing a few of them a couple of miles back. At most, the journey to the closest house would be about ten minutes and another ten away from the path. So, it would take him about twenty minutes, but maybe less if he ran.

Feeling a sense of hope at the discovery, Eren allowed himself to smile at his brilliance. But, what good would it do to find Levi and get himself killed in the process? He didn't want Levi to see his dead body when he already saw his mother die. He needed some sort of weapon! Sweeping the ground for anything useful, Eren saw a knife on the floor, clean with the exception of a few drops of blood.

That must've been Ms. Ackerman's knife. Blessing her for her fighting instincts, Eren picked up the knife and wiped the blood away on his jacket. His mother would most likely freak out, but this was a dire situation. Surely she could handle a few splotches of blood.

Once the knife was clean, he placed it in his pants pocket, making sure he wouldn't cut himself with the sharp edge. Looking around to make sure he didn't forget anything, he made his way towards the door and opened it, walking outside and closing it behind him. For now, the rain had stopped and the only things left were the puddles and grey sky.

Eren needed to hurry because there was no telling if the kidnappers would move out since the rain stopped. Walking down the stairs, he stepped onto the muddy ground and looked on ahead. His mission rang clear in his head: save Levi. And he would accomplish that no matter what happened. Sucking in a deep breath, he exhaled slowly and tried to relax. Now was not the time to get all riled up.

"I'm sorry dad, but I have to do this," he apologized. He started to run towards the nearest house he remembered seeing, hoping that he was going in the right direction and that he would find Levi there. Every second was crucial and Levi's life was hanging in the balance. Eren would never forgive himself if he let Levi die like Ms. Ackerman.

Entering the forest, Eren began to run faster, the mud splashing onto his clothes and his boots getting wetter with every step. Eren paid no attention to his dirty clothes. They weren't as important as the life of Levi, a boy that he cared so much for. If Levi died, then Eren would have nothing left to look forward to. His life would have no meaning and what was the point of living when someone you cared about wasn't there anymore?

 _'Just hang on, Levi! I'll be there soon!'_ Eren thought as he disappeared into the forest, hoping that the next time he would appear, Levi would be with him.


	3. One: Part Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just because Levi’s lost hope doesn’t mean that things can’t change.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here I am with another chapter! It’s a bit longer than the previous one so I hope you all enjoy. I apologize if you find any errors since I don’t have a beta.
> 
> This will be in Levi’s POV.

"I still can't believe you killed her, you idiot! She was the one we were after! The brat meant nothing to us!" the leader of the three men yelled at the other. A prominent vein could be seen on his forehead, showcasing how angry he was at the moment. He looked like a crazed animal with his eyes narrowed and teeth clenched.

"I wasn't just gonna let that psycho kill me! She was practically asking for it!" the other male yelled back. His arms were stiff as a board, hands clenched into tight fists. There were still drops of blood on him, the blood of the woman he had murdered not even an hour ago.

"I guess it doesn't matter now. What's done is done. Even without her, we'll still catch quite a sum of money for the kid," the leader conceded. His stiff posture slowly relaxed and the vein on his forehead disappeared after he took a few deep breaths. There was no point in getting angry anymore.

"That's right! The brat looks so much like her that one won't be able to complain," the third man said as he wiped away his still bleeding nose. He winced whenever he touched the throbbing muscle, obviously still feeling the effects of the kick.

"Damn bitch hit me pretty good. But I'm sure the kid's not gonna try anything like that. Not unless he wants to end up like her," he sneered in Levi's direction. The other two laughed at their partner's predicament.

"The only reason why it hurts is because you're too damn weak. No wonder she was able to break your nose," the leader snickered. The other man agreed and they continued to laugh obnoxiously, ignoring their companion's yells to shut up.

As the three men conversed, Levi laid in the middle of the empty room they were residing in. His hands were tied behind his back, with more force than necessary he might add, but his legs were free from the restraint. Maybe his kidnappers thought that he wouldn't put up a fight against them. And, unfortunately, they were right.

Because the man who had killed his mother knocked him out cold, he didn't wake up until they were well on their way to who knows where. The first thing he was aware of was the fact that he was slung over a burly shoulder like a sack of potatoes and his hands were tied behind his back. He could feel the rope digging into his skin, most likely leaving bruises.

But even though he was fully conscious, he didn't try to fight. He just couldn't muster up the energy to do so. If he tried, they would kill him and leave him for someone else to find. Though, at the moment, the thought of death didn't sound too bad. In fact, it sounded like a great plan.

What was there to live for anyway? His mother was gone, thanks to his heartless kidnappers, and Furlan and Isabel would never find him. It would be a couple of days before they would visit and by then, he would most likely be back in the Underground, where he would be some pet to someone with a sick character.

He would much rather die right now than keep on living in a world where he would be used for other people's pleasure. And even if he did manage to escape and run, where would he go? No matter where he would end up, it wouldn't be home without his mother there. It would just be him, living in a cold place where he would surely die of illness or some other circumstances.

As Levi stared at the ground in front of him with emotionless eyes, he couldn't help but think about the people he cared about. It was like his brain was showing him a film of his short life before he would move on to the next phase. He saw his sweet mother smiling at him and teaching him everything he knew, he saw Furlan and Isabel sitting next to him as they watched the other villagers, telling jokes and just having a good time, and finally, he saw Eren.

He saw their encounters and the time they spent together. He saw them outside, sitting under a tree in the garden and watching the flowers dance in the wind. He remembered when Eren had plucked a flower from the ground and presented it to him with a blush and embarrassment shining in his eyes. He remembered how he placed it behind his ear, saying how it suited him. And he remembered the butterflies in his stomach when Eren had said those words and how important he had felt because of him.

But now, they were just memories. A distant figment of his imagination that he could feel vanish before his eyes. Now, all he remembered was the coldness he felt when he realized that he was alone. That was all he could feel at the moment, and he was sadly getting used to that feeling.

He heard the men talking, but he drowned them out with a blink of an eye. They were probably talking about what they would do with him. Maybe beat him some more? He could still feel the punch that the man gave him and he was sure there was a bruise forming. He could also taste the copper from his bruised lip and it brought back the image of his mother's body overflowing with the same liquid.

All he wanted was to see his mother again. He wanted to sleep and feel the warmth that she radiated with, even when things were tough. That was all he wanted. Was that too much to ask? Apparently so because now he wouldn't experience that ever again. Maybe if he died, he would see his mother again and things would be like they used to.

He heard footsteps approaching him and he looked up as one of the men knelt down in front of him, a cocky smirk on his face. Levi wanted so badly to punch that smirk off of his face, but he was in no position to even attempt such a thing. Why were they doing this? What had his mother done to make these men ruin his life in an instant?

"Looks like the brat's given up. That'll make things a lot easier," he said towards his partners. The leader snorted in amusement and placed his knife on the small table in the corner of the room, which was the only piece of furniture.

"Of course he has! He's got nothing to fight for anyway!" he remarked. His posture was tall and victorious, like he was extremely proud of the horrible act he had committed. He looked out of the window and hummed as he surveyed the sky.

"I think it's time that we get out of here. The rain stopped and I don't want to stay in this dump any longer than I have to," he ordered. His followers nodded and Levi noticed that the man in front of him made a move to pick him up when a timid knock sounded at the door.

It made the three men freeze and it brought a sense of déjà vu to Levi. After all, that was how all of this mess started in the first place: a simple knock. It was amazing how such a small action could have enormous effects.

Neither of the men made a move towards the door, but even from his place on the cold floor, Levi could see that their eyes held a hint of fear in them. It almost made him feel good to see them feel that way. Let them know how he felt when they attacked and killed his mother in cold blood.

After a few seconds, the door slowly opened and Levi saw the men tense, though they didn't have any of their weapons. The only knife they had was on the other side of the room, and they didn’t have enough time to retrieve it. Once the door was fully opened, Levi saw with blank eyes the one person that he didn't think he would see in this situation.

He saw Eren.

Said boy was standing at the doorway, his hands playing with the bottom of his shirt timidly as he gazed up at the three men with unshed tears. Levi saw that Eren made eye contact with him for a fraction of a second, but that was all before he was completely ignored.

Levi wanted to tell Eren to leave, to go find help anywhere he could. He wanted to yell at him for being so stupid for coming into danger, but he also wanted him to stay, because having Eren here made him feel a little sense of hope. Eren made him feel protected, a speck of familiarity filling Levi's entire being and, for a moment, he didn't feel as cold as before.

"What the hell are you doing here, kid?!" the burly man demanded as he neared Eren. Said boy continued to play with his shirt, but the tears in his eyes were long gone. "I'm lost, sir. I can't find my father. Can you help me?" he asked.

Levi knew that was a total lie. No matter how reckless Eren was, there was no way he would purposefully leave his father for whatever reason. But, how in the world did Eren get here?

"Tough luck, kid. As you can see, we're a little preoccupied at the moment so you'll have to find your father on your own. Now, scram!" the man ordered. When Eren didn't move, the man growled and walked even closer to Eren, his hand reaching out to grab him by the shoulder.

Before he could even get close to touching him, Levi saw Eren pull out a knife from his pocket and plunge it in the man's chest, his once fearful eyes now cold and filled with hatred. Levi could only stare as the man fell to the ground, a puddle of his own blood forming underneath him.

The other two men were in a state of shock, watching as their leader died at the hands of some small kid. In an instant, the man with the broken nose ran up to Eren, and Levi felt a pang of fear at the sight of Eren having to fight two grown men. He was just a kid like him! He wouldn't be able to handle it!

When the man was close enough, Eren backed away and dropped the knife before he reached for something on the other side of the wall. When he pulled it out, Levi saw that it was a long stick with a small arrow attached to the end of it, creating a spear that was most likely used for hunting purposes.

Just like the first time, Levi saw Eren pierce the weapon through the man's abdomen, and once he fell to the ground, Eren climbed on top of him with the knife in his hands once again. Levi watched with wide eyes as Eren brutally stabbed one of his kidnappers, screaming all the while about how they deserved to die for what they had done.

Levi was scared yet at the same time fascinated with this side of Eren. In all of the times they had met, he had never seen Eren in such a state of anger and brutality. The Eren he was familiar with was calm and easy to understand. Now, it was like he didn't know him at all.

Once the man below Eren took his last breath, Levi noticed that the other boy looked exhausted. He was panting extremely hard and there was sweat visible on his face. How far had Eren come to find him? Did he arrive from his house? That would explain why he was here in the first place. Dr. Yeager was scheduled to visit, and since nobody was home, Eren must've left to search for him. Did Eren really care for him that much?

Now with two of the men down for the count, Eren's attention was entirely focused on the last man still standing beside him. It was sort of comical for Levi to see the man so shaken up. He was trembling with fear and his eyes were wide as he stared at Eren.

Levi waited as the man assessed the situation, and in the blink of an eye, Eren was in front of him, his knife plunging into the man's thigh. He let out an agonized scream, and he collapsed to the ground as blood poured out from the wound. Eren stabbed him a few more times, but he didn't actually kill him since he wouldn't be able to walk anyway. He would die of blood loss soon.

Even though it was wrong to stare, Levi couldn't tear his eyes away from the man withering in pain. At least his mother's death wouldn't go unpunished. Levi was so focused on the man lying there that he slightly jumped when a warm arm wrapped around his shoulders and pulled him up to a sitting position.

Looking behind him, he saw Eren staring at him with such intense green eyes that it made him shiver. He never took the time to appreciate how beautiful Eren's eyes were until now. Eren's eyes raked over his form a few times and after about the third sweep, he picked up the knife and gently cut the ropes on his wrists.

While Eren was busy trying to free him, Levi stayed as still as possible and continued to stare at him. Never in his life did he think that it would be Eren who would save him in a situation like this. He didn't know that Eren was strong just like him. The amount of strength that he possessed was unlike any other, and it enthralled Levi to know that he was the first one to see it.

"Why did you come here?" he quietly asked as Eren finished cutting the ropes. Once he was free, he brought his hands to his chest and assessed the damage. His wrists were swollen and red, but luckily, they weren't bleeding. He rubbed them gently so that the circulation could flow towards his hands, which were feeling a little numb.

"Did you really think that I wouldn't look for you?" Eren asked instead. In response, Levi shrugged half-heartedly as he continued to stare at his wrists. He really didn't want to look into Eren's eyes right now. There would be no telling what he would find in those green orbs.

Behind him, he heard Eren huff. Soon, Eren had moved to kneel in front of him, his hands placed on his shoulders as his smoldering eyes looked at his own. Levi felt a tiny spark of electricity when they made contact, but didn't think too much of it. It wouldn't be the first time he's felt like this.

"Levi, there's no way I could just sit back while you were possibly being tortured. I saw what happened at your house and I wasn't going to let you suffer the same fate," Eren explained. Levi felt his heart stutter and a warm feeling spread over his entire body. Eren went through all of this trouble to find and rescue him, even at the risk of his own life.

"I made a promise to your mom that I would find you and bring you back alive, and I'm planning on sticking to that," Eren continued. His hands squeezed his shoulders tighter than before, but unlike with his kidnappers, it felt nice and comforting. Maybe it was only Eren that could make him feel these things.

The fact that he made a promise to his mother showed how much Eren valued his life. And right now, Eren was doing more for his life than he himself had. He had thought that he was all alone, that he was destined to live a life full of misery, but Eren changed that. Even if he didn't have his mother anymore, he had Eren and that was enough.

"Let's get out of here," Eren mumbled as he lowered his hands from his shoulders. Unable to say anything because of Eren's confession, Levi simply nodded and allowed the other boy to grip his hands. As Eren began to stand, Levi saw a flash of movement behind him and gasped as he witnessed Eren being grabbed from his neck and hoisted up into the air.

"Eren!" he called out from his position on the floor. His terrified eyes stared at the scene before him as Eren was strangled by the last man who was never killed. The man was still bleeding profusely and he was hunched over, but he still had enough strength to do some damage. He could hear Eren gasping for breath as his hands tried to dislodge the man, but it was no use.

"You stupid brat! Neither of you are leaving as long as I'm still alive! I'll kill you and then your little friend!" the man yelled in Eren's face, spit coming out of his mouth. Levi could only stare in fear as the life was slowly drained out of Eren. His brain was telling him to do something, anything, but he couldn't actually move! It was just like his mother's death all over again.

Looking around for some type of weapon to help Eren, he caught sight of the knife that Eren had used to free him. There was blood on it, and even though it was dirty, he sucked it up and shakily picked it up. His hold on the handle was unsteady, so he used his other hand to aid in holding the weapon. Why was he so terrified? This wasn't the first time he's used a knife!

But, then again, he had never used it to kill someone.

Slowly standing up on shaky legs, his hold on the knife became even more uncontrollable as he kept watching the man kill his friend. Why was he just standing there? Wasn't he supposed to fight and save Eren? He didn't think he would be able to survive losing another person he cared about. So, if losing someone hurt so much, then why was he letting it happen?

He was so lost!

What was he supposed to do?!

"F-Fight!" a voice answered him.

Coming out of his inner turmoil, Levi looked up and saw that Eren was looking at him. His face was scrunched up in pain and a bit of saliva was coming out of the corner of his mouth. Even when he was being strangled to death, he still had enough strength to fight back.

"You need to fight! That's the only way you'll survive! If you fight, you live! If you lose, you die! So get up and fight!" Eren demanded. His eyes held so much rage, but it wasn't directed at him. Rather, it was directed at the man that held his life in his hands.

 _'Fight?...But how can I? I can't even move!'_ Levi thought.

How come he couldn't do anything? All his life, he's fought for both him and his mother. Living in the Underground taught him to fight. His mother always told him that life was about surviving. That the only way one could live was to fight any obstacle that came his way.

 _'It's your responsibility to fight for your life, Levi. This world is cruel so use your strength! You're an Ackerman! You possess the strength of your ancestors so put it to use! Make your ancestors proud and fight! Or else you'll die!'_ the advice from his mother rang in his head.

That's right! He was an Ackerman! His mother fought until she took her last breath so he should do the same. He was the last Ackerman and he needed to keep his name alive. His mother would've wanted him to live on, to try and live without her. And he had the strength to survive anything that came his way.

 _'Fight!'_ his brain yelled at him. His muscles stiffened and his eyes narrowed as he continued to watch Eren struggle. If he didn't do something, then Eren would die!

No! He couldn't lose Eren! Not after everything he'd done to save him. It was his turn to help out.

 _'Fight!'_ his brain yelled again in a louder tone. His hands stopped shaking and now, he had a steady grip on the knife. He felt so powerful now that he was entirely focused. He felt the energy buzzing beneath his skin and his adrenaline was pumping.

 _'FIGHT!'_ it screamed again. This time, he could hear his mother joining in as well. She was encouraging him to do this. She was lending him her strength to take down one of her murderers.

In an instant, his eyes shined with anger. The fear and uneasiness he had once felt disappeared as his grip on the knife tightened, the wooden handle breaking into tiny pieces and scattering all over the floor. He pushed his feet forward, causing the old wooden floor to give underneath him. He felt the pieces cut into his exposed skin, but his adrenaline made him immune to the pain.

He let out a shrill scream, putting all of his sadness, anger, and determination into it. If he could see himself right now, he probably mirrored his mother when she was facing one of her murderers. As he quickly neared the man, who had his back facing towards him, he lifted the knife and aimed it where it would hit the man's spinal cord.

The man turned around, with Eren still in his arms, and stared at him with wide eyes filled with fear. How the tables have turned, huh? Now, it was he who held all of the power. There was nothing this man could do to prevent the inevitable.

Before the man could try and run away, Levi stabbed the knife through the small of his back, resulting in a pain-filled scream sounding through the atmosphere. It brought a sense of satisfaction to see the man in pain. After all, what he was feeling wasn't even a tenth of the pain he experienced. He would be dead soon and the pain would disappear, but he had to live and harbor that pain for as long as he lived.

With that thought in mind, he pulled the knife out of the man and kicked the back of his knees. He fell down and this caused his hold on Eren to loosen, allowing the older boy to escape and clutch at his neck, trying to regain his breath.

As soon as Eren was safe from danger, Levi brought down the knife over and over again, his anger clouding his senses. He couldn't hear the man's pleas for mercy, but even if he did, he would have ignored them anyway. How dare this man plead for him to spare his life when he took the life of his mother away without a second thought?

No. He didn't deserve to live.

With a final stab at the man's neck, he saw the life drain from his eyes and his body go slack. Finally, the ones who took everything from him couldn't hurt him or anyone else again. They would rot in the deepest pits of hell.

Levi slowly retracted the knife from the last puncture and let it fall from his numb hand, his adrenaline gone now that he wasn't in any sort of danger. He just stared at nothing, his eyes going back to the dull and lifeless shade they were before. His strength dissipated and his knees wobbled, as if it was taking all of his willpower to not collapse.

He saw Eren stand, having finally regained his composure, and slowly walk towards him. It was almost as if he thought he was some sort of scared animal. But Levi wouldn't harm him. He was the one who saved him and he wasn't a threat.

When Eren was in front of him, he looked into the other's eyes, expecting to see disgust and weariness. However, what he saw instead almost brought tears to his eyes and his lip trembled. Eren was looking at him with eyes filled with understanding and comfort, reminding him so much of his mother. Could it be that Eren didn't think of him as a monster?

Feeling a warm hand grab his own, he looked down and saw that Eren was gently tugging him towards the front door, where he could see that it was now dark outside. The stars and moon shone brightly, adding a pure sense of calming into the surroundings.

"Let's go and meet up with my dad. He'll be able to help," Eren explained. He eyed him, waiting for a response and the only thing he could muster was a slight nod. Eren nodded as well and led the way back to where he came from, presumably his house.

The journey was quiet, but Levi appreciated it since he really wasn't in a talking mood. He had just lost his mother and killed a grown man, he didn't think he would ever be the same again. Everything that made him who he was disappeared.

But, when he looked at the boy in front of him, his dull grey eyes shined a bit with the feeling of familiarity and comfort. Eren was his savior, and he was the reason why he was alive in the first place. Someday, he would repay Eren for his heroic deed.

But for now, he purely focused on the warmth Eren radiated and the nice feeling of his hand encased within the teal-eyed boy's own.

Everything else could wait a little while longer.


	4. One: Part Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now with Levi out of danger, Eren and his father must decide his future arrangements.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one will be in Eren’s POV.
> 
> I hope that you all enjoying the story so far!

Eren knew that he should let go of Levi's hand now that they were far away from the kidnappers, but his mind kept telling him to hold on tighter instead. He wanted to make sure that it was actually Levi next to him and not just a figment of his imagination.

Though he was touching Levi, he didn't trust himself to let go even for a second. He didn't want to lose Levi again, after he had just gotten him back a few minutes ago. Anything could pop out from the darkness and snatch him up, and he didn't have the knife or any other weapon to defend themselves with if trouble arose.

And it looked like Levi needed the contact. He was still shaky, but his eyes were lifeless, not a single emotion shining in those blue and grey orbs of his. It actually freaked him out because he had never seen Levi this out of it before. Sure, Levi wasn't known for his outstanding communication, but he would occasionally say something. Now, it was like looking at a ghost, and Eren thought that wasn't far from the truth.

It just made him even more angry at those revolting men. They were the reason why Levi was like this. They stormed into his house, murdered his mother, and snatched him away, all in the blink of an eye. Now, the only thing left of Levi was a soulless boy who had lost his mother.

Though, no matter how upset he felt, he wouldn’t allow himself to crumble. Right now, Levi needed him to be strong and if that’s what needed to be done, then damn it he’ll do it! He would do anything for Levi as long as it made him happy. Especially now when he was such in bad shape.

When he saw Levi’s house in the distance, he stopped as he noticed the Military Police surrounding the area. They had torches with them, presumably to add some light, and he was able to see his father among them. There was a look of worry on his face, and Eren felt guilty about causing his father stress.

But, when he looked behind him and met Levi’s curious eyes, all of that guilt washed away.

He smiled as gently as he could at the younger boy and gave his hand a squeeze, an action that was reciprocated. Looking ahead, he took a deep breath, mentally preparing himself for the ranting he was going to get from his father.

Walking forward, he led Levi as easily as he could through the mud towards the house, being conscious of the fact that Levi was hiding behind him. It suddenly dawned on Eren that maybe seeing his old home wasn’t the best idea, especially after the tragic events that took place earlier in the day. However, they needed his father’s help, so they had to do this.

Once they were in close proximity, Eren simply waited for his father to notice him, and when he finally turned around, he saw relief shining in his eyes. He sighed and Eren saw his father’s body relax.

“Eren!” he called out to him, grabbing the others’ attention. All at once, everyone surrounded them and Eren had to suppress the urge to berate them for their actions. He could feel Levi’s body pressing against his back, most likely out of fear, and his other unoccupied hand balled into a fist at his side.

“What exactly happened here, boy? Why are you two covered in blood?” one of the officers asked him. Eren rolled his eyes at the man’s first question. Surely his father would have already explained the situation. That was why they were here in the first place, right?

“You should already know what happened here. I’m sure you looked inside the house,” he answered. Glancing back at Levi to make sure he was alright, Eren continued. “As for your second question, I saved his life from the men that kidnapped him.”

The man seemed shocked at his disrespect, and his steel eyes narrowed as he continued to stare. “Well then, where are they? Are they somewhere behind you?” he asked again. 

“They’re dead. We killed them,” Eren answered bluntly. His answer stunned both the officers and his father, who looked at him with so many emotions ghosting over his face that it was difficult to tell what exactly he was feeling.

“If you want to see them, they’re in a house about twenty minutes away from here. You have to walk about ten minutes on the path, then walk through the passageway that’s covered by the trees,” he continued.

The thought about possibly being held accountable for murder never even crossed his mind. After all, he was doing it for a good reason. Anybody in their right mind would have done the same thing, so he didn’t feel like it was a big deal.

His father, who had been quiet thus far, spoke up, “Officers, thank you for your help tonight. We can talk more of this incident tomorrow. I’m sure the children would like to rest.”

The officers didn’t look too keen on letting them go yet, but one look at Eren’s eyes and Levi’s state changed their minds and they reluctantly left one by one. As some left, Eren heard them say that they should go to the house he spoke of to see the bodies.

When the last officer left, his father gave him a glare so severe, he would’ve probably collapsed to his knees. Unfortunately for his father, what he witnessed today was much worse, so he could handle the look.

Eren watched as his father placed his torch on a rock beside them and rub his temples, obviously stressed over the situation. In response, he let go of Levi’s hand, immediately missing the feeling of the other boy’s soft flesh.

He stepped to the side so that he could look at Levi, and he flinched at the stare the younger gave. His eyes looked so... _dead_. It was the only way to describe it. They were no longer blue, but completely grey and their shine dissolved, leaving behind a black abyss of nothingness.

Eren had the urge to go up and hug Levi, but he willed his body to stay in his current position. Who knows if Levi would even accept the contact, and he didn’t want to make him panic.

A slight gust of wind appeared and Eren noticed that Levi was shivering. Whether it was from the cold or of shock, he didn’t have a clue. It wouldn’t really matter anyway.

He was about to take off his jacket and give it to Levi, but the sound of shuffling came from his other side and he turned to see his father shedding his coat. His father walked forward and when he was in front of Levi, he draped his coat over the smaller boy’s frame. It engulfed Levi, covering him until it reached his knees.

Eren saw that Levi’s shaking stopped, but it did nothing to bring back life into those eyes he cherished. The fire illuminating the trio brought attention to Levi’s face, which was turning into a light shade of purple where one of the men punched him. There was still blood on his lip, but it was dry now.

Suddenly, Eren found himself turned around by the large hands grasping his shoulders, and he almost felt dizzy by the sudden action. He came face to face with his father’s frantic gaze, and the guilt that he initially felt came back again.

“Eren, I thought I ordered you to stay in the house! What were you thinking, going off on your own like that?” his father asked him. Eren’s eyes hardened at his father’s accusing tone, and he wanted to rip himself away from his grip.

“How could you expect me to stay with Ms. Ackerman’s body? Levi needed help, and that’s the only thing I cared about,” he seethed in suppressed rage. The nerve of his father to even question his motives irked him, and he clenched his hands at his sides.

“You could have gotten hurt, Eren! You should have waited until the Military Police arrived so that they could take care of it. Not to mention that you killed two grown men!” his father berated. His eyes were urgent now, trying to make Eren understand the severity of the situation.

“And I don’t regret that one bit! They deserved what they got because of what they did to Levi and Ms. Ackerman! I saved a life today, and nothing you say can make me apologize,” he retaliated. And that was the truth. If he had to kill in order to protect someone he loved, then so be it.

He would much rather be stained with the blood of his enemies than his loved ones.

His father, realizing that he couldn’t change his mind, sighed and let go of his shoulders. Standing up to his full height, Eren saw him look at the person behind him, and he did the same. During the entire conversation, Levi didn’t move a muscle, and he just stared at the ground as he clutched the coat closer around his small frame.

“Levi? Do you remember who I am?” his father asked as gently as he could. His eyes were soft as he gazed at the traumatized boy, and Eren was shocked at the way his father’s attitude did a complete turn for the better.

Levi didn’t answer, not that Eren expected him to, but his father kept going. “I’m Dr. Yeager. I always came by to visit you and your mother.” At the mention of the woman, Levi let out a small whimper and tightened his hold on the coat.

Eren glared at his father for saying anything about Ms. Ackerman. He should know that Levi was in no state to hear about his deceased mother. However, he refrained himself from speaking, since that would most likely result in another argument.

Apparently, his father noticed Levi’s reaction as well and he took a moment to choose his next words carefully before he spoke again. “I know it’s been a while since we’ve come here, but I’m sure you’re extremely worn out from what happened today. It might be a good idea to get some rest,” he offered.

A few silent minutes passed, and Eren began to think that maybe Levi would never speak again. That was probably the worst thing that Levi could do, but Eren didn’t have a say in what the younger boy decided.

“That’s okay, Dr. Yeager,” Levi whispered. Eren almost collapsed at the tone of the younger boy. He sounded monotone, with no emotions pouring into his words. His voice was also a little rough, most likely from not talking the whole day. He had never heard Levi sound this broken before, and his heart clenched in despair.

“I just want to go home right now. Can you take me to my room, please? I want to rest and I’m still cold, even with your coat,” Levi asked. His gaze was still on the ground, but Eren could see the boy’s eyes brimming with tears. Eren felt sorry for what Levi was going through, and he wanted to help, but he didn’t know how.

Remembering that Levi said he was still cold, Eren looked down at his scarf around his neck. He had forgotten that he was still wearing it, and an idea popped in his brain. He grabbed his scarf and unwrapped it, uncaring that he might feel cold later on.

He didn’t need it right now, the adrenaline he was still feeling warming him enough. However, judging by Levi’s trembling frame, he was the one who needed it the most. Walking slowly towards the other, Eren carefully wrapped the cloth as neatly as he could around Levi’s neck.

The cloth covered Levi’s mouth and entire neck, and Eren immediately felt the boy calm down. His eyes looked up into his own, and they were filled with confusion at his actions.

Fixing the scarf, Eren tried not to blush as he stared into Levi’s eyes. “Since you need it much more than I do, you can have it,” he said. When the words finally registered in Levi’s brain, he began to shake his head and attempted to remove the scarf to give it back.

“T-That’s not necessary, Eren. I couldn’t take this from you! It’s yours!” he began to reject when Eren grabbed his wrists in a gentle grip. The two froze and Eren couldn’t help but realize that his hands completely covered Levi’s wrists. He never noticed how small Levi was compared to him.

“It’s alright. I really don’t mind. Besides, you said you were cold, and it’s warm, isn’t it?” he retaliated. He let go of Levi’s wrists, and the other boy grasped the scarf as he looked down at the ground again. “Y-Yeah. It’s warm. Thank you, Eren,” Levi mumbled from behind the cloth. There was a ghost of a smile on his face, but it was hardly visible since the scarf covered his mouth.

“You’re welcome,” Eren mumbled back with a blush. He looked away so that neither Levi or his father would see his reaction. He felt his father move next to him, and he looked up to see a proud smile on his face directed at him.

“Levi, I know you’ve been through a lot, and it’s not really a good idea for you to go to your house right now. Why don’t you come and live with us?” his father offered. Eren’s eyes widened at the question. Levi would live with them? That would certainly take some getting use to.

Levi’s head snapped up to look at his father, and his eyes widened. “But won’t I be intruding? I don’t want to be a bother to any of you,” he asked timidly. Eren was just about to say that it wasn’t a problem, but his father beat him to it.

“Nonsense, Levi! We have plenty of space for you. And I’m sure Carla wouldn’t mind you living with us. She’ll be just fine with having another son to take care of,” his father reassured. Levi stayed quiet for quite some time, obviously thinking it over, so Eren interfered.

He could tell that Levi was skeptical about living with them, and he wanted to change his mind. If Levi lived with them, then he could maybe get to know the younger boy more and he could look after him in case he needed anything. Plus, it would ensure that Levi would always have someone with him.

“Come on, Levi. It’s a great offer and I’m sure mom will take great care of you. It’s better than being here on your own,” Eren supported. He could see that his words helped Levi, since the other’s eyes didn’t look so dim anymore at the thought of having a family again.

After a few more minutes of thinking, Levi nodded and said, “Alright. I’ll live with you.” Eren had the urge to smile, but settled for a small sigh of contentment at Levi’s decision.

“That settles it. We best be on our way before Carla gets worried,” his father said. He picked up the torch and turned around, looking behind him one final time. “Let’s get moving,” he ordered. Eren nodded and turned back to Levi. The boy didn’t move, so he reached over and grabbed Levi’s hand, again marveling at the size difference.

Gently tugging Levi closer, he turned around and motioned for Levi to follow him. “Come on, Levi. Let’s go home,” he said. The minute he finished saying those words, he saw tears flowing from Levi’s eyes. At first, Eren freaked out since he thought Levi was crying because of something he did wrong, but he relaxed when Levi rubbed his tears away with his other hand.

Once the tears were mostly gone, he flashed Eren a small smile, effectively cutting off Eren’s oxygen for a short while. That smile…

It was the first time he saw Levi smile at him like that. Sure, he gave other small smiles, especially when he gave Levi that flower in his garden, but never one so pure and grateful as this one. Eren wanted to see it again.

Gulping, Eren turned around and started to walk towards his father, who was a few steps in front of them. He still kept his hand intertwined with Levi’s and he occasionally glanced behind him to look at the other. Whenever he did, Levi would catch his gaze and offer him either another small smile or a shine of his blue and grey eyes.

Whenever this happened, Eren would immediately turn back around and he could feel his cheeks heating up. However, this cycle would continue until they reached Eren’s house.

His father opened the door and let them enter first before he got in himself. As soon as the door shut, Eren’s mom came bursting through the hall, looking frazzled and anxious. The sight of his mother in such a state made him stop and look her from head to toe.

“There you are! I was so worried about you two! What in the world took you so long?!” she rambled. Instead of answering, Eren simply stood aside so that she could see Levi, who was clutching the scarf so tightly his knuckles turned white.

When his mother saw Levi, she froze and her mouth dropped open at his state. Eren knew he didn’t look too good, and when his mother turned back to him, her eyes widened at the blood splattered all over him. What a sight they must’ve been.

“What happened?” she asked immediately. Neither Eren or Levi answered, so his father cleared his throat, which brought his mother’s attention to him. “Honey, Levi is going to be living with us from now on due to a situation. And Eren, because of his actions, is the reason why he’s still alive,” he answered.

Understanding shined in his mother’s eyes and she looked at Levi with a sad expression. “I’m sorry if I’m an inconvenience to you Mrs. Yeager. I understand if you don’t want me here,” Levi mumbled. His eyes still looked at her, and Eren felt sorry that Levi felt like a nuisance, even when they told him it would be fine.

The sad look on his mother’s face was replaced by that of determination and strength. She made herself look a little taller, which meant that she meant business. “Don’t be silly, Levi! Of course you’re welcome into our home! Whatever you need, you just tell me and I’ll take care of it. No matter what, you’re a part of this family now, okay sweetie?” she declared.

Levi nodded and his mother turned to her husband. “Grisha, why don’t you set up Levi’s room and take him to change clothes. I’m sure Eren wouldn’t mind if Levi wore something of his, right son?” his mother asked. Even without looking directly at her, Eren knew that his mother wanted him to agree.

But even if she didn’t, he would have allowed Levi to use his clothes anyway. Like he said before, if Levi needed it, then he would have it.

He silently nodded and watched as his father led Levi to the spare bedroom across the hall. Once he heard the door click shut, he turned to his mother, who was already looking at him with her hands on her hips. She had an accusatory look in her eyes.

“Eren,” she admonished. He winced slightly at her tone. While his father could possibly never unnerve him, his mother did. “I’m not going to ask you about what happened tonight. Mostly because I can tell based on the blood on your clothes and Levi’s attitude,” she stated.

Eren sighed in relief. He really didn’t feel like repeating the tragic events of tonight, especially since he too was still trying wrap his mind around it. He was tired, and he just wanted to go to bed.

“However,” his mother continued. “I will be talking about this with your father later. For now, all I want is for you to change out of those bloody clothes and go to bed. I can see that you’re tired.”

Eren nodded at his mother’s orders and turned to go to his room, but his mother’s voice stopped him. He looked back at her, and was shocked at the intense look he received. Whatever she was going to say now, it was serious.

“Eren, things are going to change now that Levi will be living here. I’m trusting you to teach him what we do in this house and the village, since he’s used to living on the fields. I need you to be more mature now, son,” she said as she walked towards him.

She knelt down so that she was at eye level with him. “I need you to help him get back on his feet. The next few days, or even months, are going to be extremely hard for him. So please, do everything you can to help him get better. You’re his savior, Eren, so promise me that you’ll do anything to bring back the boy you once knew,” she pleaded with him.

Her eyes held so much hope in them that Eren couldn’t refuse her. Her words motivated him to reach out and pull Levi out of the darkness he was now in. He wanted the old Levi back. He wanted to see him smile, chuckle, and clean like before. That was all he wished for in life, and he would do everything in his power to get it.

Nodding at his mother, he turned to stare at the hallway that led into Levi’s new room. His eyes hardened and his mouth was set in a firm line, nothing but determination showing on his face.

 _‘I promise I’ll help you no matter what, Levi. I’ll always be here for you, and I won’t give up!’_ he told himself. From now on, that would be his driving force in life: to stay by Levi’s side.


	5. Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Levi is having a bad day, it’s Eren’s job to make him feel right again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, since I’ve already done the basics of this story, from now on the chapters will be snippets of Eren and Levi’s journey. I don’t want to rewrite the ENTIRE series since I feel like I’ll somehow ruin it.
> 
> I’ll try my best to make them in chronological order, but there might be a few where it’s jumping all over the place. I apologize in advance if that happens and you get lost.
> 
> If you guys want anything for me to write, whether it be a particular scene, event, or anything else from SNK, then feel free to comment down below and I’ll definitely take it into consideration!
> 
> I’ll be sure to put the time frame of when the chapter takes place so hopefully that’ll help with keeping up with the story.
> 
> Thank you so much for all of your support! I truly appreciate it from the bottom of my heart!
> 
> This chapter will be in Eren’s POV.
> 
> **Takes place a few months after Levi is adopted into the Yeager family.**

Eren rubbed his eyes and yawned as he exited his room. It was a little too early for him to be awake, but the sun coming through his thin curtains didn’t let him go back to sleep once he woke up the first time.

He grumbled about it, but eventually got up from his bed and got dressed. Now, he was on his way to the kitchen, hoping that his mother had already started on breakfast. He was incredibly hungry since he didn’t eat much at dinner last night.

Usually he would eat everything on his plate, but last night he was too preoccupied with watching over Levi. The other boy was strangely out of character yesterday, and it worried him.

It’s been a few months since Levi first came to live with Eren and his parents, and this was the first time that the younger boy looked so detached since his arrival. Sure, when he first arrived, Levi was quiet and shy, but he was never like this.

He hardly ate anything last night, which was the reason why he himself didn’t eat much either. When his mother questioned what was wrong, Levi just shrugged and said that it was nothing to be worried about. Eren obviously didn’t believe him, and he was beginning to act suspicious.

Because of the amount of time the two spent together, Eren had a good way of reading Levi’s emotions. It was an incredible skill, and he used it any chance he got. Being around Levi was the perfect opportunity, and Eren would be the first to admit that he had matured some since Levi came.

He realized that he wasn’t as brash or as mouthy like he usually was. His temper also evened out, and that was mostly thanks to Levi. The younger boy had the uncanny ability to calm him down, either with words or soft slaps to his arm or head.

However, just because Levi kept him grounded, that didn’t mean that he didn’t lash out a couple of times. He was still the same boy as before, just a little more calm and composed.

But, whenever Levi was acting unlike himself, he worried constantly over the other boy. Believe it or not, he took the promise he made to his mother very seriously, especially because he knew what Levi suffered through not too long ago.

So, he desperately hoped that Levi’s attitude would have disappeared by now and he would see him with his mother in the kitchen. The boy especially loved to be with his mother, and Eren knew it was because Levi was a little touch starved from the loss of his own mother.

Every once in a while, Levi would help out around the house, either by cleaning, washing, or cooking by his mother’s side. It was actually kind of cute seeing Levi like that, he admitted to himself. The younger always looked happier when he helped out.

But, when he walked into the kitchen and saw that it was only his mother making breakfast, he frowned and double checked to make sure Levi wasn’t somewhere else. When he still didn’t appear, Eren’s frown deepened.

Something wasn’t right. Levi always woke up before him, no matter what.

“Mom? Where’s Levi?” he asked her. She startled at the sound of his voice, apparently not realizing that he was awake, and turned around from her place near the stove. She regarded him with warm eyes, but they held a hint of concern.

“I think he’s still sleeping. Could you go and wake him, please? Breakfast is almost ready,” she asked. He nodded and left the kitchen so that his mother could finish cooking.

How odd…

If even his mother was concerned, then something really was wrong.

For some reason, the feeling he got when he was on his way to Ms. Ackerman’s house resurfaced, but he pushed it away. Nothing like that would happen again, he told himself. If even the slightest unfamiliar action occurred, he would know about it.

When he arrived at Levi’s door, he faltered and hesitantly brought his ear to rest on the wood. It was quiet, like usual, but a tiny sound from inside caused him to further lean on the door. His ear was firmly pressed against it, and he stayed absolutely still so that he could hear whatever was going on.

Then, when a few seconds had passed, he heard the noise again. It sounded like a whimper.

Why was Levi making that noise? Was something wrong?

As much as Eren wanted to just barge into Levi’s room and see what was wrong, he knew that it probably wasn’t the best idea. He didn’t want to frighten Levi, and he really didn’t want to get scolded by his mother so early because of his lack of knowledge when it came to respecting someone’s privacy.

So, in a rare moment of brilliance, he brought his hand up to the door and softly knocked on it three times. At once, the whimpering ceased, but he could now hear Levi sniffling.

“Who is it?” Levi’s voice sounded through the door. Eren frowned when he heard the raspy edge to the voice, and he cleared his throat so that his emotions wouldn’t give him away.

“It’s me, Eren. Breakfast is almost ready so you better get up,” he advised. He tried to say it as neutral as possible, but even he could hear the concern in his tone. He heard shuffling from the other side, and Levi’s voice spoke, “I’ll be right out.”

Eren nodded, even though the other boy couldn’t see him, and decided to wait for Levi to come out. He wanted to see how he was doing, since he was obviously not fine at all.

After a couple of minutes and some more shuffling from inside, Levi finally opened the door and slowly stepped out. Eren inspected him from head to toe, looking to see if he was injured.

Levi was dressed in some of the clothes that his mother got for him, and an old pair of Eren’s shoes, even though they were a little too big on him. He still wore the scarf that he gave to him all those months ago, and it confused him since Levi didn’t wear it often. Only when he was bothered or afraid did he put it on, and that was rare.

Levi wouldn’t look him in the eye when he greeted him, but behind that raven black hair, Eren could see that his eyes were watery and bloodshot. Before the other boy could leave for the kitchen, he grabbed one of his small hands, effectively keeping him in place.

He felt more than saw Levi freeze, and Eren felt a little guilty about doing that. However, he desperately needed to know what was happening to Levi, and until he figured it out, then he wouldn’t stop pestering him.

Levi slowly turned and faced him, and Eren could clearly see the heartbroken look in those blue eyes. It shocked him for a moment, but he quickly composed himself and looked at Levi straightforwardly.

“Levi, what’s wrong?” he demanded. Levi wouldn’t answer him, and Eren tried to reign in his impatience at the lack of a response. It wouldn’t do either of them any good if he went off on the other boy. It would just make things worse.

“Nothing,” Levi replied. His tone was icy, and Eren flinched at the use. He had never heard Levi speak that way. He knew that Levi had a temper just like him, but he was always so calm and relaxed that he never actually witnessed it.

It did hurt though that the tone was directed at him. He was just trying to help. However, he didn’t back down and glared at Levi just as coldly. If Levi wanted to play like this, then he would too.

“Don’t give me that! I heard you in there and judging by the look in your eyes, I know that you were crying. Just tell me what’s wrong so that I can try and help you,” he pleaded with the other. Levi tried to yank his hand out of his grip, but Eren remained firm, not allowing the other boy to escape from him.

After a few more tries at unsuccessfully freeing himself, Levi slumped and gave a tired sigh, almost like his energy had faded away. His eyes looked so worn out when they looked at him that Eren’s hold slipped a little.

“I miss her,” Levi whispered brokenly. His eyes were downcast again, and they filled with tears. His body began to shake and his sobs escaped him. He covered his eyes with his hands, shielding them so that Eren wouldn’t see the pain they harbored.

Eren just stood there, staring at Levi falling apart in front of him. _‘Of course,’_ he thought. Why else would Levi act in such a way? The only thing that would make Levi break down in tears would be his mother’s death, a horrible event that he witnessed with his very own eyes.

It made sense now why Levi was so detached last night. He remembered his mother and this caused him to shut down, pushing everyone away. Although Levi was doing better as the days went by, Eren was sure that the pain he held would most likely never go away.

But now that he knew the reason for Levi’s strange attitude, he was at a loss on what to do. He never had any experience with dealing with a situation like this. This was something his mother was best suited for. For a moment, Eren considered going into the kitchen to fetch his mother, but thought against it when he realized that he would have to leave Levi all alone.

That was absolutely the last thing he wanted to do, so with no other options, Eren stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Levi’s shoulders. He gently brought the younger boy towards him, and he made sure to hold onto Levi securely so that he wouldn’t escape.

Levi’s cries were muffled by Eren’s shoulder, and Eren could feel his shirt getting wet from Levi’s tears. He didn’t care though, if this made Levi feel better, then he would gladly do it. When most of his cries were reduced to tiny hiccups, Levi’s hands reached up and pressed against Eren’s chest, trying to create some separation.

When Eren allowed Levi some space to move, he saw that Levi was still crying, though not as much as before. Eren felt good in the sense that he could offer Levi some comfort, and he rubbed his back soothingly, which brought out more tears from him.

“I-I’m sorry I’m acting like this. Now your shirt’s ruined,” Levi apologized as he gripped the cloth in his hands. He glared at the wet spot he created, and Eren couldn’t help but think that he looked sort of cute.

But soon, the words Levi said registered in his brain and he frowned at the other boy, who still wasn’t looking at him. Did Levi really think he cared more about his shirt than him? That such a measly piece of clothing would be his top priority?

“Levi, I could care less about my shirt. What’s most important right now is you,” he said. This caused Levi to stare at him in shock, but he kept going. “I know you’re hurting right now because of your mother. But don’t be ashamed to tell me if you are because I’ll help you.”

Levi’s eyes widened and his mouth opened and closed, but nothing would come out. “I don’t expect you to be so accepting of your mother’s death, so don’t be afraid to let it out once in a while. I would be even more worried about you if you never cried,” Eren continued.

Levi’s hands tightened their hold on his shirt. “It’s just...it’s hard sometimes to know that she’s gone. Sometimes I dream about her, and I get sad because she was taken from me when it was I who should’ve died...” he confessed.

Eren tensed as he said those words, and a growl sounded from deep in his chest. His hands gripped Levi more forcefully, and he heard Levi gasp at the pressure. Normally he would’ve felt bad for causing Levi pain, but this was the only way to make him understand.

“Don’t you dare say that again, Levi! Neither you or your mother deserved the fate you were given, but what’s done is done. Don’t think of yourself so unimportant that you wish you would’ve died! What would your mother say if she heard you?” he asked.

He knew it was probably a low blow to talk about Ms. Ackerman like this, but Levi needed to understand where he was coming from. He wasn’t worthless! In fact, he was the most important person in Eren’s world.

“Your mother wouldn’t want you to think of yourself like that! Didn’t you say that she always told you how powerful you were? If so, then prove it! I know you’re strong, so don’t say things that make you sound weak because it’s not true!” he ranted.

Levi looked at him with wide eyes, but he didn’t interrupt him. He only stared in awe at what Eren was telling him, seemingly entranced by his words.

“Your mother isn’t gone, Levi,” he whispered. He placed one of his hands against Levi’s chest, right above his heart. He could feel the other boy’s heartbeat, and it soothed his rattling emotions.

“She’s right here. And as long as you remember her, she’ll always be there to help you when you need her,” he finished. His hand stayed where it was, proving his point to the other.

Levi was quiet for a few minutes after his speech, but once his shock died down, Eren found himself with an armful of the other boy. His head was tucked under Eren’s neck, and his small arms were wrapped around his neck in a tight embrace.

He could hear Levi sniffling, but he knew it wasn’t because of sadness. He could feel Levi smiling against his collarbone, and a few tears spilled onto his exposed skin.

“Thank you, Eren. I’m glad you told me this. You’re a really great friend,” Levi whispered. Eren was in shock for a few seconds, but he let a small smile grace his lips as his own arms circled around Levi’s waist.

He buried his nose into Levi’s hair, and inhaled the sweet smell of honey and mint leaves. He could feel his heart thumping erratically, and he savored the feeling of holding Levi in his arms. Now that he had a taste of what it was like to be this close to the boy, he wanted to experience it again.

But, coming back to reality, he unwrapped himself from Levi and stepped back, which caused the other to let go of him as well. When Eren looked at his face, he saw that there were still tears flowing down the pale cheeks and, without even realizing it, he wiped the trails away gently with his fingertips.

When he realized what he did, Eren slowly retracted himself, but smiled when he saw that a blush dusted over Levi’s cheeks. The other boy shyly looked away, and Eren resisted the urge to bring him in for another hug.

Once Levi had calmed down, Eren grabbed his hand, startling the other. “Come on! I’m sure breakfast is done by now so let’s go before mom comes and drags us there!” he joked as he looked behind him.

He started to lead Levi towards the kitchen at a reasonably fast pace. He let another smile grace his features when he heard Levi’s melodious laugh echo through the hallway. He could live happily knowing that Levi was alright and back to his usual self.

And he would do anything to keep it that way.


	6. Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little trouble while in the village leads to Levi encountering some familiar faces.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is another filler chapter that I did, mostly because I didn’t want any background events to be mentioned in later chapters.
> 
> I hope I’m not boring any of you since I’m still working on the other chapters. I’ve actually finished three others and I’m currently working on the fourth!
> 
> Enough of my ranting! XD
> 
> This chapter will be in Levi’s POV.
> 
> **Takes place about a year since Levi was adopted into the Yeager family. Eren is eleven and Levi is ten.**

“Why do we have to go to the village?” Eren whined next to him. Levi sighed in irritation and just kept on walking, doing his best to ignore the boy. From the moment they stepped out of the house, Eren had complained about the job his mother gave them, and it was starting to give him a headache.

He was thinking about throwing Eren up against the wall so that he would shut up, but he didn’t want to do that. The only physical damage he had done to Eren was a few soft hits on his arm, and that was mostly enough to get Eren to behave.

“We’re doing this because you had to open your mouth, saying you were bored. So it’s your own fault,” he said without stopping. He heard Eren grumble next to him, but he kept looking forward.

He had learned to ignore some of Eren’s moods, and this was one of them. No matter how much Eren pretended to hate the jobs his mother gave him, Levi knew that it was all just an act.

Eren loved to get out of the house, and most times, he was dragged with him, either by Eren’s mother or by Eren himself. Though Levi understood Eren’s sentiments about the outside world, he worried that the other boy would want to take his enjoyment further, putting him in danger.

But, as long as Eren was safe, then it wouldn’t bother him. After all, he did enjoy the places Eren brought him to. They were almost always fields of long grass and flowers scattered around. While they would lay there on the grass, he would remember the good memories he and his mother experienced.

Now, he wished that was where they were going instead of the village if it stopped Eren from ranting. But, they had a job to do and they had to do it now. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be able to eat for the day.

As they came to the village center, Levi marveled at the different stands with people selling their goods. They were all yelling, trying to convince the customers to buy something from them, and Levi smiled. Normally, he would have detested the amount of noise, but being around Eren made him more tolerant.

He grabbed Eren’s hand and led him to the stand where they needed to go. Carla had ordered them to buy some vegetables for lunch, and she had given them money to spend. She specifically ordered him to go as well, since they both knew of Eren’s tendency to get into trouble.

“You know, I don’t need you to hold my hand. I can walk by myself,” Eren insisted. Levi turned and gave him a slight glare, not enough to frighten him, but just enough to get his point across.

“I’m doing this so that you won’t run off. Eren, you know as well as I do that you’ll start a fight with just about anyone. I don’t know about you, but I really don’t feel like chasing you around the village,” he explained. Eren turned away in embarrassment, but he didn’t try to escape from his hold.

Levi pushed past the other villagers and stopped in front of the stand, a kind man on the other side asking him what he would like. He let go of Eren's hand and told the man what Carla wanted him to get. As the man went to grab the items, Levi looked around and caught Eren staring at him.

Instead of turning away like he always did when he was caught, Eren continued to stare with a thoughtful look on his face. Levi stared right back, trying to understand Eren's behavior. “What is it, Eren?” he asked.

The other boy merely shrugged and looked away, and Levi stared at him for a few more moments, confused about his behavior. But, since it really didn't seem to bother Eren, he too let it go and focused on the man who came back with his vegetables. He paid the owner and turned to Eren again, glad that he hadn't caused any trouble.

“We better get going. Carla might be starting on lunch already and we wouldn't want to keep her waiting,” he said. Without waiting for Eren's response, he turned and walked back the way he came. He took a couple of steps, but froze when he heard yells and loud, thumping footsteps. They were getting closer, but he couldn't pinpoint from where noise was coming from.

He looked in all directions, but there were too many people in the way. Suddenly, a few villagers in front of him scurried to the side, and three smaller bodies pushed past them in a hurry. They were coming towards him, and they were going way too fast to stop. A sudden realization came through in his brain.

They were going to run right into him.

With the way they were coming at him, he wouldn't be able to move away fast enough. They were already a few feet in front of him, and his feet were frozen where they stood. He closed his eyes, bracing himself for the impact.

“LEVI!!” he heard Eren scream from somewhere behind him before he felt himself being pushed to the ground. Another body was on top of him, and after the loud footsteps went past them, he looked up to see who had saved him. Eren was on top of him, his arms caging either side of his head as his body pressed onto his, acting like a shield against the dirt and feet.

Eren wasn’t looking down at him, his green eyes instead glaring at the way the three kids ran off to. Once they were out of sight, he slowly sat on his knees and pulled Levi up so he was in a sitting position. Once he dusted as much dirt off his clothes as he could, he looked at the path the three boys had made in the middle of the village.

“What the hell is their problem?!” Eren seethed as he continued to glare. Levi was about to reprimand him for his language, but another set of footsteps followed and ran through the people like the others. There were two this time, but he could see that the one in front was a girl.

The color of her hair was extremely familiar, but Levi couldn’t place where he’d seen it before since some people were still in the way. The girl was screaming her head off, and even her voice sounded familiar.

They didn’t even stop, continuing to chase the three escapees, but the tall boy was obviously trying to calm his friend down, reminding Levi of himself and Eren. Once they were gone as well, he heard Eren sigh in irritation next to him and looked at the other boy, wondering why he was annoyed.

He found Eren looking at the girl as he muttered, “Not again.” Levi was thoroughly confused, and he furrowed his brows. Not what again? Did Eren somehow know those people? Judging by his reaction, this obviously wasn't the first time he had seen this sort of thing.

“Eren, what’s wrong?” he asked. Eren shook his head, but the frown never left his face. He stood up and dusted himself off and held out a hand towards him. Levi graciously took it and Eren hauled him to his feet. Once he was balanced, Eren let go of him and turned around.

“Sorry, Levi. I’ve got to deal with something. I promise it’ll be quick,” he said. Before he could even attempt to ask him what he was talking about, Eren started to run, following the trail the others had left. More dirt swept up into the air, and Levi began to cough as he tried to fan himself.

When his breathing was back under control, he looked to see where Eren had disappeared to. There was still dirt in the air from where Eren had run off to, and it followed the other boy. “Eren, wait!” he called out, hoping the other would hear him and return. Unfortunately, it seemed like either Eren was too far away to hear him, or he ignored his call.

 _‘I guess I spoke too soon,’_ Levi thought to himself. He looked down at the dirty vegetables, and groaned at the fact that they would have to go back home empty handed. Not only that, but they would have to deal with Carla’s questions about why they didn’t have the food and looked like a mess with their clothes dirty. And that was something that he wasn’t looking forward to.

Having no other choice, Levi looked back up to the path of footsteps and sighed in resignation. He stepped over the vegetables and ran behind Eren, being careful to not bump into any of the other villagers. He squinted his eyes to protect them from the dirt, but kept a close eye on the trail to make sure that he was going in the right direction.

He was already far from the center of the village, and as he neared an alleyway, he began to hear grunts and yells. He stopped when he heard a grunt come from Eren, and he narrowed his eyes. He knew that sound anywhere and if there were people in there hurting his friend, then they would pay.

With that in mind, he went into the alleyway, ready to knock somebody unconscious, when he froze and looked at the scene in front of him in shock. When he imagined Eren in a situation like this, he had never seen him as the one in charge.

In front of him, Eren was with the girl, who had her back turned to him, and they were absolutely driving the other three into the ground. The girl, who looked so familiar to him, was taking on two of the attackers at once, kicking at one and simultaneously punching the one behind her. She looked like she was doing fine on her own, so he focused his attention on Eren, seeing if he needed any help.

But, as luck would have it, the other boy looked to be in total control. He had his opponent on the ground on his back, and he was sitting on top of him, throwing punches left and right. He looked a little roughed up, with a red cheek and a few cuts on his face, but the look in his eyes held so much power that his injuries seemed nonexistent.

But, as he looked at the others fighting, he noticed that the girl’s friend was nowhere to be found. That was odd, since he was certain that he saw the other chasing after her. So, if there were two of them, where did the other go? Looking around, he finally spotted another body on the other side of the alleyway, looking around a crate. Since the alleyway was semi-dark, he couldn’t see the boy as clearly as he wanted to, but there was no mistaking the worried look he had in his eyes as he watched the fight.

It reminded him so much of himself. He always had that look whenever Eren would get himself into trouble. The protectiveness and instinct to be with Eren was too strong to ignore. But, as much as the boy reminded him of himself, he also reminded him of someone else. But, for goodness sake, he couldn't remember who!

Hearing a yell laced with pain, he looked over and saw that the girl who was taking on two opponents was being overwhelmed. It seemed like one of the boys had taken her by surprise judging by the swelling of her right eye, and now they had the upper hand. She was on the ground, helpless as the boys took advantage of her with punches and kicks aimed at her stomach and face.

Her grunts awoke something in Levi, and a red haze clouded his vision. The protectiveness that he felt over the girl blocked any rational thought from his brain. He hadn’t felt this rage in years it seemed, but he wasn't about to question it. Without even realizing what he was doing, he sped forward and stopped right beside the trio, a dangerous look in his normally calm eyes. He lifted one of his legs and brought it towards one of the kids’ faces, kicking it with as much force he could muster.

The impact made the boy fly towards the wall, and the sound he made when his head came into contact with stone oddly satisfied him. The other boy glared at him and made a move to punch him, but he ducked easily and swiftly turned in the air, bringing his leg forward and kicking him on the side of the head, making him tumble to the side a few feet away. Neither of them were knocked out, just disoriented.

The commotion made Eren look at him, and he looked taken aback at the fact that he followed him. He knew he would probably get crap for it later, but all that mattered to him was the girl still on the floor and her safety. Now that two of the dangers were dealt with, Levi focused on Eren once again and watched as he got up from the boy he was sitting on. Once standing, he grabbed the front of the boy’s shirt, which looked dirty covered in grime and blood, and hoisted him up with a surprising amount of strength.

“Get lost,” Eren sneered in his face, and the boy looked so terrified that he rapidly nodded and scrambled as far away as he could once Eren let go of him. Soon after, his two other companions followed his lead and pushed themselves out of the alleyway with a fearful glance back at them.

Once they were gone, Levi took a few deep breaths to calm himself, his adrenaline still pumping. He hadn’t had an altercation like that in a long time and, to be honest, it felt good. He heard shuffling behind him, but he didn’t glance back at the girl. His part was done for now.

“HEY! I didn't need your help, you know! I could’ve handled those jerks by myself!” The girl insisted as she picked herself up from the ground. Hearing that voice, which sounded a bit more mature, made Levi’s eyes widen and he quickly turned around, coming face to face with someone he hadn’t seen for a little more than a year.

“Isabel?” he whispered hopefully. His voice wouldn’t go any higher, but apparently he was heard because the girl’s eyes also widened. She stared at him for a few moments and her mouth opened and closed a few times. It was like she couldn’t believe it was really him standing there. Her eyes raked over his body, trying to memorize how he looked.

“L-Levi? Is that really you?” she asked. He nodded, not being able to say anything. The next second, he found himself within Isabel’s arms, hugged so tight that he could barely breathe. Levi heard her laugh, and he could feel his shirt getting moist with her tears.

Since his arms were stuck to his side, he couldn’t hug her back. So, he started to speak to her in as much of a calm voice as he could manage. “It’s alright, Isabel. It’s me, I’m fine,” he reassured. Her tears started to lessen and her grip faltered, allowing him some space to breathe in some much needed air.

He gasped and it caused Isabel to completely let go of him, sputtering out apologies as she continued to look at him with misty eyes. He waved her off, not being able to stay mad at her when he was feeling exactly the same.

“Levi!” he heard his name from somewhere next to him. He turned away from Isabel and came face to face with Furlan, someone else he hadn’t seen. He let out a choked laugh and opened his arms, inviting his old friend to give him a hug.

“Furlan!” he exclaimed in joy. Said boy wrapped him in his arms and he laughed, enjoying the feeling of being reunited with his friends. The last time he saw them, it was the week before his entire life shattered. Now, it was like his life had repaired itself with his friends back.

After a few long minutes embracing each other, Levi let go and stepped back from the blonde, who looked to have tears in his eyes just like Isabel. He felt himself tear up a little, but Eren’s presence next to him, which came out of nowhere, kept him grounded.

“How long have you been here, Levi?! Furlan and I have looked everywhere for you, but we could never find you! It was like you completely disappeared!” Isabel asked. Her tone was hysterical, and Levi didn’t want to think about how his friends handled his “disappearance.” He smiled sympathetically at her, hoping to ease her worries.

“I’m sorry, you guys. A lot happened and, in short, I’m now living with Eren and his parents. Have been for the past year or so,” he explained. He really didn’t feel like saying what caused him to move in with Eren, but he knew that Isabel wouldn’t let him get away that easily.

“Well, what happened? Surely you can tell us!” Isabel persuaded. Furlan looked skeptical, but the look in his eyes told Levi that he had an idea of what occurred. His attempts to quiet Isabel about the matter were futile, but Levi appreciated the effort.

He looked down at the ground and clenched his hands into fists. His eyes held pain in them, but he was better at controlling it than in the beginning. “My mother was killed. The men who did it kidnapped me so that they could sell me,” he mumbled.

He brought his hand up and grasped the scarf around his neck, the silky texture of it aiding in calming him down. He looked at Eren with thankful eyes and said, “But Eren saved me. He killed two of them while I took care of the last one. If it weren’t for him, I probably wouldn’t be alive right now.”

He saw Eren blush at his words and the teal-eyed boy looked away from him in embarrassment. When he looked at Furlan and Isabel, he saw that their eyes held sorrow and pain. It was completely understandable, since his mother treated them like they were her own. She treated them so nicely that it made sense why his two best friends were so distraught over the news of her death.

Suddenly, Isabel’s teeth clenched and she shook in anger. “Good thing they’re dead, because otherwise, I would’ve killed them myself,” she seethed. Furlan looked murderous, but he composed himself rather quickly and gave Levi a look of sympathy.

“For what it’s worth, we’re sorry Levi,” he apologized. Levi gave him a grateful smile and turned to Isabel, who looked a bit calmer, but not completely. “Well, at least my idiot of a cousin got there just in time,” she praised as she looked at Eren. Said boy growled next to him at the blunt insult.

Levi widened his eyes in shock as he glanced from Isabel to Eren and back again. Did he hear that right? “You two are cousins?!” he asked incredulously. Both of them glanced at him as if the answer was obvious.

“Yeah, unfortunately,” Eren answered as he glared at Isabel. He was obviously still bothered by her calling him an idiot. Now that he took the time to look over both of them, Levi found that the two did look similar.

Both had green eyes and unkempt hair, though Isabel at least tried to make it look decent by putting it in two pigtails. They had the same facial structure, but Eren had a tanner complexion compared to her. They could almost pass off as twins if one didn’t know their parents.

“But anyway,” Isabel started as she focused all of her attention on Eren. Her eyes had a hint of betrayal, but they were mostly shining in anger. “You’ve had him living in your house for a year and you never told me?! How dumb are you to not at least mention it?! Didn’t you realize how worried I was about him?!” she accused.

Eren tensed and shook in anger at her shrill of a voice. “How was I supposed to know that he was the friend you were looking for?! I’ll have you know that I’ve been trying to help him get back on his feet this entire time! Plus, it’s YOUR fault that you never visited!” Eren yelled back.

The two engaged in a screaming match, throwing insults at one another. Levi cringed and realized that they also had matching personalities. _‘Great,’_ he thought to himself. _‘How in the world am I going to handle two of them when I have trouble handling just one?!’_

He stepped forward to try and break up the fighting, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him. Looking behind him, he saw Furlan give him a reassuring glance. “Don’t worry, Levi. That’s just how they are. They’ll give up eventually,” he said as he looked back at the duo.

Levi looked unconvinced, but he trusted Furlan’s judgment and obediently stood back, waiting for the two cousins to stop arguing. After a couple of minutes filled with insults and yells, it seemed like both Isabel and Eren had tired themselves out. They just stood there, panting and glaring at each other.

Furlan removed his hand from his shoulder and, taking that as his cue, he stepped forward and grabbed Eren’s elbow, effectively making Eren focus on him. He waited a moment so that the other boy could calm down, and once he looked alright, he spoke.

“Eren, we should probably get going. We need to get home and explain to your mother about the groceries,” he advised. At the thought of his mother’s lecture about getting into trouble again, Eren cringed and wiped his bleeding lip.

“Right,” he huffed. He stood up straight and allowed Levi to lightly pull him away from the alleyway. Once they were far away enough, Eren pulled his elbow away from his hold and, instead, grabbed his hand. Levi made a noise of confusion, but it soon turned into a yelp of surprise when Eren started to run, making him run as well to keep up.

“If we run, then we’ll get home quicker! Maybe then, mom will give us some more money and we can come back.” Eren explained. Levi nodded and looked back into the alleyway, and he saw Isabel and Furlan coming out and waving at him with smiles on their faces.

“I’ll see you guys another time! It was great seeing you two again!” he called out as he waved back at them. He turned back around so that he wouldn’t trip, but even though they were getting farther away, he could still hear Isabel’s voice echoing through the village.

“Eren! You better take care of Levi or else I’ll hunt you down!” she warned. Levi chucked at Isabel’s overprotectiveness against her own cousin while Eren just snorted in amusement, shaking his head at her demand.


	7. Four: Part One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While spending time with Isabel and Furlan, the secret that Eren had tried so hard to keep hidden is revealed. Needless to say, Levi isn’t happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter will be divided into three parts because I didn’t want to cram all of this into one update XD! Hopefully none of you get confused but I’ll be sure to remind you all of the setting!
> 
> The entirety of this chapter will be in Eren’s POV.
> 
> **Takes place a few weeks after Levi reunited with Furlan and Isabel.**

“Why are you holding my hand? I'm not gonna run off if that's what you’re thinking!” Isabel confronted as she walked beside Levi. She had an exasperated look on her face and she glared at Furlan, but the blonde didn't deter. Maybe because he'd known her for so long that he was immune to her glares.

“Don't act all innocent with me. You’re just as bad as Eren about getting into trouble. Why do you think Levi’s holding onto Eren just like me?” he asked as he glanced at their two companions. Beside them, Eren was on Levi's left side, his arm held with both of Levi's own. To anyone who looked at them, it almost looked like they had something going on with how close they were next to each other.

Eren grumbled at being treated like a child, but didn't dare say anything about the matter. Levi would just reprimand him or ignore him, something that he didn't want to deal with. He would be the first to admit that he did get into trouble a lot, but it was for good reasons and he almost never started them. But, whether he initiated it or not, Levi didn't like it. He always said that he needed to grow up and get along with the other kids, but Eren didn't see that happening.

Besides, even though he hated being looked after constantly, he sort of liked the way Levi held onto him. His smaller frame pressed against his own was comforting and it helped his temper. There was just something about Levi's presence that relaxed him and made him tingle with some unknown emotion, but he couldn't let his cousin and his friend know about it.

Isabel would kill him if he did something to Levi and Furlan would give him this speech about being responsible and careful with the younger boy. Eren didn't need to know how to care for Levi, he already knew. He took care of the other boy for a year and he was doing just fine. In fact, with the way Levi was acting, Eren would say that he did a great job in helping Levi come out of his shell.

Because of him, Levi was no longer the boy that flinched with every touch, the boy that was so frightened with everyone that he didn't leave his room for days at a time. Now, he was a boy that smiled and laughed, someone that found the beauty of the world around him. It made Eren happy to see Levi go back to the way he was, maybe even better.

One of the reasons why Levi was feeling better was where they were headed. It was Eren's idea in the beginning, since he wanted to show Isabel and Furlan one of the places that helped shape Levi who he was now. They had all agreed, and Eren let Levi decide where exactly he wished to go. The other boy said to one of the fields just outside of the village, the very first one they had gone to together. It had a special meaning to both him and Levi, and Eren had agreed to take them.

But, the only problem was getting there without a ruckus, hence why he and Isabel were being held by the other two in order to avoid any confrontation. Like he said before, it was a bit annoying, but he didn't mind since it was Levi.

As they neared the end of the village, Eren could feel Levi's excitement pouring out of him. He looked at the other boy and saw happiness shining in those blue and grey eyes, a smile tugging at his lips, making him look like the child he was. He too was feeling excited about going, but he was far better at masking it. He didn't want to give Isabel any more of a reason to tease him.

Once the gates to the village disappeared behind them, Eren could see the fields of grass and flowers a few feet away. By now, Levi was practically jumping with joy and excitement. Eren smiled at the other boy’s antics and gently pulled his arm free from his hold. Nothing out here would disturb them, he was sure of it.

Coming to a stop on a small hill, Eren watched as Levi kept walking and sat down near the bottom, the grass and flowers encasing him. He looked peaceful, with his eyes half lidded and a small smile of contentment on his face. This was one of the few times where Eren saw Levi this relaxed.

Still beside him, he watched as Furlan and Isabel marveled at the beauty surrounding them, and he felt a hint of pride at the fact that only he was able to produce such an emotion from them. He nudged his head as a signal for them to join Levi and they all slowly walked down the hill. Eren sat down next to Levi while the other two sat on their opposite side, all being quiet so that they wouldn't disturb the peace.

“This place is amazing! I’ve gotta say, Eren, you sure do know how to pick ‘em,” Furlan praised as he continued to stare. Beside him, Isabel nodded in agreement as her eyes sparkled in wonder and amazement. Eren hummed in acknowledgement, but kept his gaze on Levi, who was quiet as he stared at the grass beside him. His fingers brushed the petals of a nearby flower and Eren smiled at the innocent action.

He would never get tired of seeing Levi like this.

They all just sat there and allowed themselves to relax, putting everything at the back of their minds to focus on their surroundings. A few birds flew above them, and Eren had the strong urge to go with them. They were free, allowed to roam the skies without the walls holding them back. They didn't have to worry about the titans, since they didn't have an interest in animals. They lived their life without fear, and he felt jealous that they could have a life so free while he and everybody else were forced to live inside the walls, fearing the day that they would become meals to the titans.

He could feel his anger rising, but he forced himself to try and control his emotions. He would not ruin this moment because he couldn't control his temper, even if they were justifiable. Levi didn't deserve to have his day ruined because of him. So, in order to avoid a confrontation, he closed his eyes and took in a few deep breaths to calm himself.

When he looked up again, he was relieved to know that his little episode didn't catch Levi or Furlan’s attention. However, he was alarmed when he looked over and caught Isabel frowning at him. He hoped that she wouldn't mention this and ruin the moment, but he knew that she wouldn't let it slide.

She was the only one that knew about his feelings regarding the outside world. She knew that and many more were reasons why he wanted to do what he's been thinking for months. He made her promise not to mention it, but he could already tell that she was going to break it.

She knew he wanted to join the Survey Corps.

The one job that caused more deaths than any other, and he wanted to be a part of it. Seeing the titans eradicated was what pushed him to join, but he also wanted to avenge those who had died while fighting for humanity. They deserved to be recognized just like the rest, and if he could contribute, even just a little, then that would suffice.

But he had never told Levi or his family about it. He knew what their reactions would be, and he didn't want them to worry about him. The last thing he wanted to do was place unnecessary stress onto them, especially if his death occurred. The only reason Isabel knew was because she had the desire to join as well, and it was a hard pill to swallow.

If he had a hard time accepting Isabel's choice, then he didn't even want to know how Levi would handle it.

Eren shook his head, silently warning Isabel to not utter a word, but she looked skeptical. It was hard for her to keep quiet, especially with something as big as this.

Their silent bickering grabbed the attention of Furlan and he looked between the two with a confused frown on his face. “What's going on between you two?” he asked. The sudden question made them both jump, which in turn made Levi focus on them as well. Eren sighed at the fact that he had been caught, but he tried to play it off as something small.

“It's no big deal, Furlan. Isabel and I were just arguing about something,” he answered, praying that the blonde would take the bait and forget about it. Isabel looked at him in silent rage, apparently mad that he wouldn't tell the truth. Unfortunately for him, Furlan didn't believe him and narrowed his eyes in suspicion at the obvious lie.

“I know you’re lying, Eren. It's something bigger, so come out and spill it! We’re your friends and we deserve to know what's wrong,” he demanded. Eren frowned at the order from his friend and shook his head. “It's really none of your business, Furlan so don't get involved!” he growled. Furlan looked shocked at his response and Levi just looked even more confused at what was going on.

Isabel stood up abruptly and glared at him, her fists by her side. “You better believe it's their business, Eren! You need to tell them what you’re thinking about since they’ll be affected if you go through with it!” she argued. Her tone held no room for argument, but Eren didn't back down. After all, it was his decision whether he decided to tell or not.

“I’m not telling them!” he answered. He too stood up and stood nose to nose with Isabel, both glaring into each other’s eyes. In response, Furlan and Levi stood up as well and tried to get in between them to diffuse the situation. Neither listened to Furlan’s pleas to calm down, and Levi just stared. He was more confused than worried.

“Eren?” he asked the other boy. Said boy turned and stared at him, but his glare softened. He could never stay mad at Levi. The look in the younger boy's eyes made it difficult to resist whatever he asked, but this was something that he needed to keep to himself.

“Eren, what's Isabel talking about? What are you going to go through with?” Levi asked cautiously. Eren looked torn, but after a few minutes of looking at Levi, he sighed and closed his eyes in resignation. There was no way he could keep this big of a secret from Levi. After all, it was only fair since Levi confided in him to tell even his most deepest secrets.

Isabel crossed her arms over her chest and looked expectantly at him, waiting for him to say it. Eren glared at her one last time and looked at the grass so that he wouldn’t see the look in Levi’s eyes.

“I want to join the Survey Corps,” he mumbled. He heard Furlan gasp in surprise, but he couldn’t hear Levi’s reaction. Almost afraid of what would happen to him, he slowly picked his head up and looked at Levi. He had a haunted look in his eyes, and his mouth parted like he wanted to say something.

Eren was actually concerned at the lack of response from his friend. He would much rather have Levi yelling at him and beating him rather than staying quiet. It unnerved him at the lack of emotion on his face. He slowly waved his hand in front of Levi’s face.

“Levi? Say something,” he pleaded. Isabel and Furlan at this point were also starting to worry about the other boy as well. They all crowded around him, trying to snap him out of his trance. Eren called Levi’s name a couple of more times, but there was still no response from him. Suddenly, after a few more tries, Levi’s eyes snapped back into focus and he looked at Eren.

Eren sighed in relief that Levi was apparently out of his spell, but that soon turned into a grunt of pain as Levi’s hand slapped the back of his head. He ducked and clutched at the throbbing area, rubbing it gently to lessen the sting. Once the pain was reduced to a dull throb, he looked up to ask Levi what his problem was. Levi never hit him that hard, even if he was extremely upset. It was always soft punches and slaps, nothing that could do any serious damage.

When he focused on the other boy, he could see from the corner of his eye that Isabel and Furlan had looks of shock also plastered on their faces as they gazed at Levi. Said boy ignored their looks and focused all of his attention on him, his eyes staring into Eren’s soul. The look made him tremble a little and he started to sweat a bit.

He had never seen Levi like this, with the exception of the time when he had killed one of his kidnappers more than a year ago. But the difference was that this time, the hatred was directed at him. Levi’s body trembled, either from fear or anger, and his hands were clenched into fists, making his knuckles turn even more pale than they already were. His eyes, however, held both anger and fear, almost as if he didn’t know which he was leaning more towards.

“Wha-” Eren started to say as he furrowed his eyebrows. Levi, however, didn’t seem to want to hear what he had to say. “THE SURVEY CORPS?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME, EREN?!” Levi screeched as he glared at the boy below him. Eren, and even Furlan and Isabel, flinched at his tone, unused to hearing Levi sound so upset. He looked downright murderous right now, and it was purely focused on him.

Eren opened his mouth to say something to calm the boy down, but Levi cut him off again. “Eren, you realize that you could die if you join the Survey Corps, don’t you? Why would you join something that would get you killed?!” he accused in a calmer tone, but there was still anger easily recognizable. His eyes didn’t have the same amount of anger, but they were more hurt than anything. Eren flinched at his words and eyes, but stood up from his crouched position so that he could look Levi in the eye. Even if Eren cared about Levi, he couldn’t back down in what he believed in.

“I know that I might die, but I don’t care,” he began. He saw that all three of his friends wanted to argue with him. But he shut them up with a single look. “I mean, we’re all going to die anyway, right?” he asked with barely concealed rage. He glared at all of them, but his eyes always returned to Levi’s own.

“Just look around you, Levi! We’re being treated like cattle within these walls and you know it! These walls merely make us wait for our death, and who knows when these walls will break! Just because they’ve been stable for a century, that doesn’t mean that they’ll be here forever,” he continued. His three friends were silent, too shocked by his outburst to say anything.

“You know that I hate feeling like this! Isolation, death, all of it! And while there are people here, living their life, there are brave ones out there, fighting and dying for our future! I can't just sit back and let those people die in vain! All of their efforts would be for nothing if we don't do anything to make a difference,” he finished.

He stopped for a bit to catch his breath, his speech taking the breath out of him. As he panted, he gazed at the three in front of him. They all had different looks on their faces. Isabel's was of understanding, since she knew as well how he was feeling. She too felt the same after all, thus why she wished to join with him. Furlan looked mildly impressed by his thoughtfulness and dedication to others. It was like he didn't know he could be like this, which slightly offended him.

Levi, on the other hand, looked like a combination of both Isabel and Furlan. But Eren could see that there was still fear and hesitation shining in those blue eyes. It frustrated him that his friend didn't understand how he felt, but he knew that he couldn't blame him. He was difficult to understand when it came to anything, after all.

Waiting for a response from either of them, he was disappointed when he didn't receive one. He shook his head and turned around, but glanced back one last time to say one last thing. “And just so you know, nothing will change my mind about joining,” he said as a last warning and stalked off, leaving his friends and cousin behind.

He walked far enough away to be alone, but close enough that he could still see them in the distance. He sat down on the grass and pulled his knees up to his chest, burying his head in between them. He sighed in frustration at what had transpired a few seconds ago.

He knew that Levi didn't want for him to join, which was the main reason why he didn't want to say it. But of course, Isabel had to open her big mouth and put him on the spot. His cousin had good intentions, he knew that, but this was something only he could decide. It was his life and he had the right to do what he wanted, regardless if it was good or bad. But now it was out there, and there was nothing he could do to take it back.

When Levi had yelled at him, Eren understood that being rude wasn’t his intention. He could read Levi's moods and he knew that the younger boy wasn't doing it out of hatred, but out of love. He wanted him to be safe and that was impossible when the outside world was concerned. Anything could go wrong out there and if it did, you were dead for sure.

Levi wanted him to be protected and being inside the walls offered that security, but only to a certain extent. He didn’t want to die inside the walls without exploring the outside world. Furlan had told him of all of the things that were hidden from them, of the ocean and mountains that littered the landscape and he wanted to experience that.

Though Eren appreciated the concern, he wanted to take that chance. If he died, then at least he contributed to the fate of humanity, but if he just stayed here, then what was the point of living anyway? But, he wasn’t doing this just for himself.

No, he was doing it for his family, his friends, for _Levi_. He wanted them to all have a future outside the walls, and if he had to sacrifice himself in order to accomplish that, then so be it. He didn’t care if he died as long as it meant his family was protected.

Small footsteps woke him from his thoughts and he lifted his head from its bowed position, looking behind him to see who disturbed him. Behind him, he saw Levi standing a couple of feet away, looking at him with a worried glance. He gripped his scarf, the one he had given him, and Eren knew that Levi was nervous. He always did that to his scarf when he was.

He let a gentle smile cross his lips and motioned with his head for Levi to sit with him, which the other boy did after a few hesitant seconds. When he sat down, they just looked around, not saying a word. It should have been awkward, but it was peaceful instead.

Eren saw from the corner of his eye that Levi was fiddling with his fingers, looking at them with furrowed eyebrows. He patiently waited for Levi to say something, figuring that it was because of their “fight” he was here now.

“I’m sorry I yelled at you,” Levi whispered behind his scarf. He didn’t look up from his hands, but they were now clenched to the fabric of his pants. Eren smiled a little at the action, and shook his head in endearment. How could he stay mad at Levi when his heart was in the right place?

“Don’t apologize. I understand why you acted like that,” he answered. Levi finally looked up and stared at him, still a little hurt from what had happened. “It’s just…” he said, but cut himself off. Eren waited for him to continue, not pressuring him to go on if he wasn’t ready.

Taking a deep breath, Levi spoke again. “I just want you to be safe, Eren,” he confessed. “You’re my family and I don’t want to lose you, especially when it can be avoided. The mere thought of losing you tears me apart and if it actually happened, I don’t know what I’d do.”

Eren just sat there and listened to what Levi had to say. After all, he said his part, so it was only fair he listened to Levi’s side. “I know Isabel wants to join too, and that just stresses me out. Knowing that both of you are putting yourselves in danger is going to drive Furlan and I insane,” he said.

Eren nodded, understanding the connection between all four of them. Unlike he and Isabel, Furlan didn’t have that much interest in joining the Survey Corps. He preferred to stay and keep things in order, and that was fine with him. Hell, Isabel might throw a fit if he joined, since she didn’t want him to get himself hurt.

Levi, to be quite honest, he didn’t know. Eren had never asked him about the Survey Corps so he had no idea if the younger was even interested in the idea. Not to mention that he had seen enough bloodshed in his short life.

“As much as I don’t like you joining, I also know how stubborn you are,” Levi said. At that comment, they both cracked a smile, knowing that it was definitely true. “So, I understand your wishes and I know why you want to do this.”

Levi looked at him again and grabbed his hand, wrapping both of them around his own. His touch was warm and Eren couldn’t look away from Levi’s piercing eyes. “If you really want to join the Survey Corps, then I’ll support you in any way I can. But, just promise me one thing,” he trailed off.

Eren nodded vehemently at Levi, wanting to hear what he needed to say. He would promise Levi anything at this point. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for the other boy.

“Promise me that you’ll do the right thing, both for you and everyone else. Humanity will be in your hands, Eren so do what’s best for our future,” Levi pleaded. Eren nodded once and there was determination shining in his eyes, making Levi sigh in relief.

He let go of Eren’s hand and the boy immediately missed the contact, wanting to grab the hand again. However, he refrained himself and put his hand around his knees again, just like before. Beside him, Levi relaxed some and leaned back on his hands, gazing at the field of grass and flowers, the sun shining down and warming them up from head to toe.

As he listened to Levi’s breathing, Eren made a vow to keep the promise he made Levi, even if it would cost him his life. Because, although he valued his life, Levi’s mattered so much more and he was determined to not let anything steal his future. He wanted to make Levi smile, and he would do anything to achieve it.

_That’s a promise._


	8. Four: Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren had a great day spending time with his friends. So, how did it all turn into a nightmare?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here’s part two of this long chapter! Hopefully none of you are getting confused by the chapter numbers but, admittedly, I’m too lazy to edit them XD.
> 
> Sorry that I’m uploading this so late! I’m on a family vacation and this is the first time I have some alone time. I was having too much fun!

“Hey, I’m a little thirsty here. Can we make a quick stop to buy something to drink?” Isabel questioned hopefully to her three companions. Two out of the three groaned simultaneously, but otherwise didn’t utter anything else.

Eren rolled his eyes at his cousin’s lack of foresight. She knew that the walk back home would take a while, yet she didn’t think of bringing a drink or something else in case she needed it. Though, he had to admit that they had spent much more time at the field than he initially planned.

The sun was starting to set, casting an orange glow on every house, store, or person. Its warm sensation relaxed Eren, and he never got tired of that feeling. It made him imagine that life was normal, nothing like the horrible reality they were faced with every day. It was like this was the only way in which he could pretend they were free, with the walls practically nonexistent.

What a beautiful life that would have been, no? But, unfortunately, such a thing wasn’t the case.

Eren frowned at his negative thoughts and forced them to go away, at least for now. Today was a good day and he wasn’t going to let his mindset ruin it for his friends. They were all content with the day they just had and Eren wanted to keep that feeling going.

“If you want, Isabel. But there might not be many shops open at this time. It’s getting a little late,” Levi softly answered from beside him. Eren glanced over at his friend and saw how relaxed the younger boy was, his eyes half-lidded as he stared at the sky and a small smile gracing his features.

It sort of shocked Eren that this was the boy who yelled at him earlier for his future decision, the anger and worry once present now gone, leaving a lively little boy in its wake. He liked this side of Levi just as much as his other, but the one he was witnessing now tugged at his heartstrings. It showed him that Levi was still a child just like him.

Isabel’s cheer rang in his ears, but he didn’t berate her for her loudness. For once, he wasn’t bothered by her nature. It made Levi smile, as annoying as it was, so it was a good thing.

Isabel ran ahead of them, looking for the nearest shop still open, while Furlan chased after her. His warnings to be careful fell upon deaf ears as Isabel ignored him and continued her search. Eren stayed back, not wanting to tire himself out and leave Levi behind. The other boy seemed fine with walking, so Eren stayed by his side.

Neither said anything for a few moments, merely enjoying the buzzing of the village. There were still people out and about, talking and seemingly enjoying a calm evening as they greeted each other. Other village kids played with their friends one last time before they had to go inside their homes.

Just like any other day.

“Eren?” Levi called out beside him.

Said boy turned his head to face him, and Eren saw the contemplative look in his eyes. He knew Levi wasn’t necessarily troubled, just mostly curious. He hummed in response, letting Levi know that he had his full attention. He kept looking in front of him just to make sure that they were still going the right way and not going to bump into anyone.

“Have you talked to your mother about your wish to join the Survey Corps?” he asked. Eren furrowed his brows as he thought of the answer. He didn’t want to lie to Levi, but he also didn’t want the other to tell his mother about his future plans.

“To be honest, I haven’t. I just haven’t found the right time to tell her,” he answered as he looked straight ahead. His hands were pushed into his pockets, a distraction to calm his habit of clenching his fingers. “Besides, I’m almost positive that if I told her about it, she would say no.”

He heard Levi snort and he looked at him with a raised eyebrow, a silent way of saying ‘what?’ “Eren, she’s your mother. Of course she’s going to forbid you from joining. She’ll be afraid of you getting yourself killed,” he reasoned.

Eren admitted that he did have a point. His mother constantly worried about him when he left the house, though less now since Levi was always with him. But, he understood where she was coming from, even if it did annoy him. He wasn’t stupid either. He knew the risks of joining the Survey Corps and he’s seen when the soldiers return from their expeditions.

The haunted looks in their eyes and faces of defeat would tell him everything he needed to know. Some came back with missing limbs, bandaged and bloody as they rode on their horses back to their headquarters. There would always be the stench of death surrounding them, since there would be more soldiers dying than returning on every expedition.

When he would watch the soldiers ride through the village, he almost always overheard the people murmuring to themselves or the one standing beside them of their attempts being pointless. They would sneer in the soldiers’ direction, spitting on their name and calling them worthless for the deaths they had caused.

Eren knew that if he joined, he would suffer from those insults or, most likely, be devoured by the titans. Either way, his life would be surrounded by death. But, he wanted to at least try and give humanity a fighting chance, to make a better future for the next generation. The thought of him having a hand in fighting back made his resolve strengthen, but his mother would always be in the back of his mind.

Eren didn’t want his mother to worry whenever he was sent out on missions, but it was what he wanted to do. The dangers were high, but so were the rewards. He needed to know that he at least did something useful in his life, both for him and those he cared about.

“That may be true, but I’m still joining, whether she approves of it or not,” Eren said. Just because she was his mother didn’t mean that he had to give up his ambitions to please her. It was his life and he paved his own road with his decisions.

“Just please don’t tell her, Levi. I’ll do it, I just need some time,” he pleaded as he stared at his friend. Levi nodded and looked on ahead. “Don’t worry, Eren. I won’t mention a thing,” he promised. Eren breathed in relief, feeling a bit of tension leave his shoulders. Ever since he had told his secret, he was worried that Levi would spill and tell his mother.

Giving Levi a thankful smile, Eren focused his attention on locating Isabel and Furlan. He had been so distracted by his conversation with Levi that he had lost sight of his friend and cousin. There weren’t many shops open, since it was starting to get late, so at least he didn’t have to run all around the village. They wouldn’t have gotten far, especially if Isabel was as thirsty as she said she was.

Eren continued to walk at a leisurely pace next to Levi, not at all bothered by his missing companions. They would show themselves eventually, and this gave him some alone time with Levi for once. Ever since he had reunited with Isabel and Furlan, he hadn’t been able to have some one on one time with the raven-haired boy.

Isabel always dragged him away, claiming that it wasn’t fair that he got to spend an entire year with Levi and she didn’t. Eren mostly let her have her fun, but he was starting to miss Levi’s presence. It was weird not having Levi next to him every minute of every day. But, now that Isabel and Furlan seemed to lay off a bit, he could get things back to normal.

“Where could those two have run off to?” he asked rhetorically as he searched for a distinct head full of red hair. So far, he hadn’t seen Isabel or Furlan in any of the shops they’d passed. It was odd, since Eren would’ve guessed they’d gone into the first one they saw that was still open.

“I’m sure they’re around here somewhere. We’ll find them sooner or later,” Levi reasoned and Eren nodded in agreement. As they continued to look around for their missing companions, Eren, from the corner of his eye, saw several villagers running in a certain direction.

They had curious looks on their faces and as they disappeared, more and more followed them. Some people even left their shops unattended, eager to know what was causing such a ruckus. Eren was curious as well, and he tugged at Levi’s sleeve to get his attention. Said boy stopped walking and turned to him with a confused look.

“What is it, Eren?” Levi asked. Eren didn’t take his eyes off from the villagers still running, but he managed to shrug and say, “I’m not really sure. Something’s going on over there.”

He felt Levi come closer and look the same way as him, curious as to what was going on. “Do you think we should check it out?” he asked. Eren weighed his options, chewing on his bottom lip as he thought on what to do. It could be something random and unimportant, but if it made many of the villagers leave their belongings and go, then maybe it really was urgent.

“I guess it wouldn’t hurt to check it out,” he decided. He started to walk in the direction the others were headed, Levi close behind him, when he stopped to hear what a man was saying. Something about the look in his eyes made Eren a little uneasy.

“You’ve gotta get there, quick! Something’s happening at the walls,” he said to the other man accompanying him. His companion looked confused by the statement, but nonetheless followed after the other, apparently trusting his judgement.

Eren frowned at the man’s words. Something was going on near the walls? What could it be? It couldn’t have been any soldiers, since as far as he knew, there was no news about an expedition happening. Maybe there was a fight going on? That would certainly explain why so many villagers had left.

Deciding to find out for himself, Eren continued to walk, but he increased his pace just a little. If that man seemed concerned about whatever was happening, then it was serious in some way. Levi quickened his pace as well to keep up with Eren, but he made sure to not go too far ahead so that he wouldn’t lose him.

Stepping out from the path in between two houses, Eren looked to the side and saw many villagers crowding the center, looking up at the gigantic walls. Some were pointing, others were gossiping, and others just stood still and quiet. There were still a few that were arriving, but Eren stayed near the back with Levi, just in case if something happened, they would be able to leave quickly.

He nudged Levi with his elbow and cocked his head to the side, silently telling him to follow. He walked a little ahead, but stopped far from the crowded area. There was no point in getting closer, since he could see clearly either way. Levi stopped beside him, and he made a questioning noise in the back of his throat.

Eren, finally looking up at the walls, squinted his eyes in an effort to see what the villagers were worried about. He didn’t really see anything out of the ordinary, but after a few seconds of trying to spot any abnormality, he finally caught a glimpse of something.

Steam.

But, that didn’t make any sense. Why would there be steam near the walls at this time? Eren didn’t see any officers up on the walls, so it couldn’t be from their gear or other equipment. But...that would only mean one other thing. Something else was producing that steam.

 _Titans_.

No, that wasn’t possible! How could there be a titan?! It was almost sundown, and the titans couldn’t do anything during the night since they needed enough sunlight to function properly. But there was no other plausible explanation that he could think of. On the other side of that wall, a titan was standing there!

Eren must have looked shaken up because he felt Levi’s hand on his elbow, gently grasping it. He could feel his friend’s concerned eyes burning holes into him, but he couldn’t open his mouth to say anything. His whole body shut down.

“Eren? Are you alright? What’s going on?” Levi asked him worriedly. Eren couldn’t muster enough strength to answer his questions, so he merely lifted a shaking arm and pointed it at the steam, which was becoming more and more thick.

He opened his mouth to speak, but all that came out were sputters and choked gasps. He was probably worrying Levi even more, but he couldn’t control what he was doing anymore. He vaguely heard the other villagers taking notice of the steam, and some started to panic.

Just then, amidst the questions being thrown around by the villagers, huge shadows engulfed the village, almost blocking out the sun with their size. The objects that caused those shadows were just as huge, with no skin attacked and muscles showing. The objects, which were in actuality large hands, gripped the edge of the wall in front of it, creating divots and cracks. Some small pieces even managed to break off, and the sound they made when they hit the ground shook the atmosphere.

By now, more people were acknowledging what was happening, but no one moved a muscle. It was almost as if they were all in a trance, unable to tear their eyes away from the sight. They knew of the danger, but they didn’t know what to do.

Soon, another shadow fell upon them, only this one was in the shape of a head, which was also skinless like its hands. Muscle tendons covered the surface, and it stretched over the titan’s eyes, nose, and mouth. It made its appearance even more terrifying, its eyes soulless, and its mouth in a thin line, showing no teeth.

The gigantic titan was staring at them, and people gasped or screamed at its appearance. Eren, finally coming out of his daze, blinked rapidly and rubbed his eyes with his fists, thinking that maybe it was just a nightmare he was experiencing. However, when he opened his eyes again, he was still staring at the titan, feeling terror in every nerve in his body.

Levi was still holding his elbow, but his grip had tightened, almost to the point of it being painful. His form was shaking, and when Eren looked at him, he saw how wide Levi’s eyes were and the terror in them. Eren couldn’t blame him, seeing as this was the first time either of them have seen a titan, especially one as large as this one.

Eren got a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach as the large titan continued to stare emotionlessly at them, and knew that it was planning something. And it wouldn’t be good for anybody. While the rest of the villagers stood as still as statues, staring at the monster in front of them, Eren turned around and gripped Levi’s hand in his like a lifeline.

Without waiting for Levi’s response to his sudden action, he started to run as fast as he could away from the stunned crowd, pulling Levi along with him. His eyes were frantic and as he stared behind him, he saw that Levi looked just as frightened as him by the sight of the titan.

“We’ve got to get out of here! It’s not safe!” he explained to Levi, who merely nodded and continued to run with him. Eren looked at the crowd and was tempted to yell at them to move it, but he couldn’t even get a word out of his lips before all hell broke loose.

It was only a few seconds, but to Eren, it felt like it was happening in slow motion. He heard the deafening crack as the walls broke, the titan apparently having the strength to obliterate the stone. When the wall fell, an incredible gust of wind came and Eren almost fell over by the sheer force of it. Luckily, he was able to regain his footing and continue running.

He heard people screaming and stone falling all around him, but his eyes wouldn’t look at anything but the path in front of him. He saw pieces of the wall fall with a thud a few feet away from him, and some even had blood splattered on them. The screams of the villagers increased dramatically and he heard footsteps following him.

The wind was still blowing, so Eren turned a corner and pulled Levi behind him so that his back touched the surface of the house he was hiding behind. Levi’s hands dug into his shoulders, but he ignored the slight pain he felt. Now that he didn’t need to worry about the wind blowing him through the air, Eren carefully turned his head around the corner. He didn’t want his head to be chopped off by a piece of stone.

As soon as he looked behind him, his blood turned ice cold and he shuddered at the sight that greeted him. Mostly every house and building in the village that he could see was destroyed, the stone from the wall absolutely crumbling everything in its path. The villagers were running like crazy, yelling and some even crying as they fled from the broken walls.

Every once in a while, Eren caught a glimpse of a crushed body underneath the rubble, blood painting the stones and street crimson. He could almost smell the metallic stench of blood and he swallowed a few times to force his nausea away. Now was not the time to get sick!

Looking at the wall, he noticed that the large titan had vanished, not a single trace of it left. However, in its place, many more smaller titans, but still huge in their own right, came stumbling through the makeshift opening. Their eyes gazed over them with hunger and their large jaws opened, steam erupting from their mouths and saliva dripping from their gums.

Eren frantically looked around him, hoping that a titan wasn’t near him, and sighed in relief when he didn’t find one. However, he knew that he couldn’t celebrate too early. That could all change in an instant and thanks to the titans’ size, they could easily be squashed or eaten in no time.

The ground shook like an earthquake was occurring as the horde of titans made their way into the village, their goal ringing clear in Eren’s ears. These titans were hungry, and there were plenty of people here to satisfy their urges easily. Already, Eren saw a few people being scooped up into large hands, screaming as they were forced into giant mouths and chewed like pieces of gum.

Even more blood spewed out onto the ground, and the screams seemed to increase as Eren continued to watch as the titans came nearer, their eyes searching for another meal to enjoy.

They needed to move, and fast! It wasn’t safe to stay here, where they would surely get eaten by a titan. Of course, running didn’t mean safety either, but maybe if Eren managed to get him and Levi to the bay area, then they could escape the village on a boat. Titans couldn’t swim as far as he knew so that was their safest bet.

But, there was a flaw in his plan. His mother, Isabel, and Furlan weren’t with him. He didn’t worry about his father since he had left early in the morning for a meeting with other specialized doctors in another village. Most likely, he was safe from the titans.

As far as Isabel and Furlan were concerned, he didn’t have the slightest clue on where they could have gone. With all of the chaos surrounding him, he couldn’t focus properly to look for his missing friends. Eren just hoped that they would be alright, wherever they were. Maybe they would be at the bay when they would get there as well.

His mother though, she was still at the house! She was alone and who knows if she was safe. Though his house was pretty far from the walls, it just meant that the flying stone could have an even greater impact if it hit, effectively crushing both the house and his mother.

The image of his mother underneath a pile of rubble, her body crushed beyond the point of saving made him tremble in fear and he looked out into the village one more time to see where exactly he was. Since he was in the village center, all he needed to do to get home would be to move a little further up ahead, take a right, and the steps leading to his street would be there.

When he assumed it would be relatively safe to go out, Eren took a deep breath and launched himself out of his hiding place. He ran in the direction the rest of the villagers were going, occasionally bumping and pushing against them when they got in his way.

He ignored Levi’s cries of his name and kept running, feeling a little guilty that he had just left Levi there without any sort of explanation. Not only that, but he left him alone, where he could easily get eaten by a titan if it came his way. Eren just hoped that Levi would follow him, at least that being a better option than just sitting there.

As he turned the corner onto the familiar pathway, Eren tried to drown out the agonized screams echoing through the air, his blood chilling at the thought of what was happening to them. But, as much as it pained him to hear them, he kept an ear out just in case one of them would sound like his mother’s.

Gosh, Eren really hoped she wasn’t one of them.

Eren almost cried in relief when he climbed up the small steps, coming face to face with his street. Because of the distance between these houses and the walls, most of them were safe and still standing. The people had left though, not a single soul left in the area. Eren guessed that they had already left to the bay, ready to get out of danger.

However, that didn’t stop him from running. In fact, it just pushed him to go faster. He needed to be sure that his mother was safe, wherever she was. If she was still in the house, then he needed to get her out of there as quick as possible and to a safe place.

Especially now that Eren could see the intimidating figure of a titan a few feet away.

Not wanting to attract the lingering titan’s attention, Eren continued to run towards his house, his mind focused on the sole mission of finding his mother and getting her away from here.

As he came closer to where his house was located, Eren found himself staring at nothing, the tall building not coming into his field of vision. He frowned, confused at the lack of his home being there. As he craned his neck further, his breathing stopped and he suddenly froze mid-step.

It turned out that his house didn’t disappear, rather that it was completely destroyed, a piece of stone from the walls laying right in the middle of his once whole house. It was probably the only house that was completely reduced to rubble, and it frightened Eren to think that his mother was somewhere under there, most likely dead.

Eren started to breathe in rapid succession, almost hyperventilating at the sight of his home in such a horrid state, but a small movement from inside the remains caught his eye. He willed himself to at least calm down a little, since he still hadn’t located his mother, and focused on the trembles that whatever was under his house made.

Squinting his eyes, Eren gasped once he realized that the trembling was coming from his mother, _who was trapped underneath_. She was trying to free herself, but because of the fact that she was laying under the roof of their house and large chunks of rock were on top of her, Eren knew that she wouldn’t be able to escape without any assistance.

The ground trembled underneath his feet and Eren snapped his gaze away from his mother and looked at the titan from earlier. Apparently, it had seen him and his mother and it was coming over to them, a devilish gleam in its eyes.

Realizing that he had to move fast if he wanted both him and his mother to survive, Eren pushed his legs to run as fast as he could, his sudden adrenaline allowing him to get to his mother in record time.

“MOM!!!” he bellowed as he dropped to his knees in front of his mother. Eren watched as she struggled to look up at him, her eyes showing how much pain she was in. Eren couldn’t see anything below her waist, and he assumed that her lower body was probably crushed underneath the heavy rocks. When she locked eyes with him, he saw confusion and a hint of fear shining in them.

“Eren? What in the world are you doing here?!” she asked him. Her free arm was trembling in front of her, either from pain, fear, or both. She was still struggling to get free, but her attempts weren’t as focused as before. Eren, determined to do whatever he could to help, placed his hands underneath the rocks and lifted them up as best he could, only managing to move a few before he began to struggle.

“What does it look like I’m doing?! I’m getting you out of here!” Eren answered through gritted teeth as he attempted to move a rather large stone. He let out a frustrated cry when the stone didn’t budge, and he removed his hands to see the knuckles bloody and red from his efforts. His mother looked at him with anger, though through the winces of pain she occasionally showed, it wasn’t as effective.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Eren! Get out of here and get to the bay where it’s safe! And where’s Levi?!” she ordered. Eren had almost forgotten about the other boy, and was about to reassure his mother that Levi was safe somewhere else when another pair of footsteps sounded behind him. They were fast and coming closer, and a call of his name made Eren cringe.

Soon, Levi had dropped down on his mother’s other side, breathing heavily as he gazed at them with frightened eyes. Eren saw as his eyes assessed the situation they were in and he too buried his hands underneath the rubble, pulling as much of it off as he could. At this point, Eren’s mother looked hysterical as she looked back and forth between the two of them.

“You too, Levi?! You boys need to leave right this instant!” she said. The ground continued to shake, but they were much more powerful than before, alerting Eren that the titan who had caught sight of them was getting near. Time was quickly running out and they were nowhere near to getting his mother free. She had stopped struggling altogether, instead yelling at them to go and leave her behind.

Eren’s anger at her pleas bubbled over and he exploded. “You really think I’ll just leave you here?! Just be quiet and let us help you! If you try to wiggle your way out, then maybe this’ll be easier on us!” he snapped as he continued to try and lift a part of the roof. Levi was holding its other side, aiding him in his efforts, but they still couldn’t lift it high enough. Eren’s fingers were slipping and he could feel the sweat running down his forehead. Beside him, he saw that Levi was in the same shape as him, but his eyes still held the determination to get his mother out.

“I’m your mother, Eren so do as I say! I’m ordering you both to leave right now and don’t come back, no matter what!” she ground out through her teeth, her anger obviously at its breaking point. Eren, however, ignored her and continued to lift the pieces of his broken home, his entire body stiff as he mustered all of his strength. His mother now turned to Levi, her eyes pleading and tears building up as she tried to convince him.

“Please, Levi! Take Eren and get out! Make him understand, do something to make him leave!” she urged as a few tears fell down her cheeks. Eren felt his own eyes tear up, the knowledge of what his mother was asking of him too much to handle. Levi, who had his hands under the same piece of rubble, looked down and his shoulders trembled. Eren couldn’t see his face, since Levi’s hair covered it almost completely, but he could hear his broken whimpers.

“Please...don’t...let us help…” Levi pleaded.

Levi sounded so broken that it broke Eren as well. His grip loosened and he let a few tears fall, his face scrunched up in anger and a feeling of hopelessness engulfing him. He couldn’t save his mother, and now all three of them would die. The titan was already in front of them, just waiting for its opportunity to strike as its smiling mouth glistened with saliva.

Suddenly, the sound of movement and a pair of booted feet landed in front of him and Eren looked up, coming face to face with the symbol for the Garrison Regiment proudly showcased on the back of a familiar brown jacket. The blond hair sitting on top of a head made Eren recognize the person in front of him to be Hannes, a good friend of both of his parents.

Hannes leaned down and looked at all three of them, and Eren saw that, for once, he wasn’t drunk. The red hue that was almost always present on the man was gone, replaced by a look of seriousness and determination that he hadn’t seen before.

“Hannes? What are you doing here?” he found himself asking. The older man glanced at him briefly, but then looked at his mother, who was still trapped. “I’m here to rescue all three of you. I’ll kill this titan and then I’ll get you out, Carla,” he said confidently.

His mother shook her head, her eyes again tearing up as she wiggled as best she could. “No! Hannes, please! Just grab the children and get out of here! They’re more important and they’ll have a better chance of surviving. My legs are crushed so I won’t be able to run!” she answered. Her eyes held so much urgency in them that Eren flinched away from her.

Hannes let a cocky smirk cross his lips as he stood up to his full height and pulled out his blades, the shine of them catching in the setting sun. “Don’t worry, Carla! I’m sure I can handle this titan. I’ll make sure you get out safe and sound with the kids,” he promised. Eren felt hope fill his chest as he heard Hannes’ words. His mother would make it out alive and they could all be together again.

Eren watched as Hannes turned his back to them, facing the titan that was patiently waiting to devour its meal. He waited to see Hannes fly through the air, zipping around the titan before he finally cut through its neck, killing it in a matter of seconds. But, as he continued to wait, Eren noticed that Hannes wasn’t doing anything.

He still had his blades out, but Eren saw that they were shaking, as was Hannes’ entire body. Was the older man shaking from excitement? “Hannes, what are you waiting for? Kill that titan like you said you would,” Eren said as he looked at the man. Hannes still didn’t move, but continued to tremble.

Stretching his neck to the side, Eren was about to ask what Hannes’ deal was when he got a good look at the older man’s face. His skin was pale and sweaty, and his eyes bugged out of their sockets as he stared at the titan, its horrid appearance stopping him from making a move against it.

At the look Hannes had, Eren felt his hope diminish and fear escalate. Hannes wasn’t going to kill that titan because he was too scared! The man couldn’t even move! Eren realized that this man wasn’t going to be of any help so he motioned for Levi, who was also watching the man in confusion, to help him free his mother.

They were just barely lifting the rubble when, suddenly, an arm circled around his middle and he found himself being lifted up from the ground, his hold on the fallen roof slipping. Shocked for a few seconds, Eren turned around and looked at Hannes with an accusatory glare. The man was still frightened, but he began to run in the opposite direction of the titan.

And his mother.

“W-Wait! What are you doing?! My mom is still trapped under there!” Eren exclaimed as he began to struggle against Hannes’ hold on him. On the man’s other arm, Eren could see Levi struggling as well, but he looked so out of it that it didn’t do anything. Eren clawed at the hand holding him, but he still wasn’t released.

He looked up at where his mother was and saw that she was where he had left her, though she looked relieved. Why was she relieved at a time like this?! She was about to die and there she was, happy that they were leaving her?! It confused Eren to no end, but he suddenly realized that his mother’s reason to be relieved was because they were being taken away.

It was his mother’s last wish.

She wanted them to leave, to be safe, and Hannes, in his act of cowardice, had done what she wanted. Eren felt tears cascading down his cheeks at the picture of his mother about to die, and he bit his lip to keep his cries in check.

“MOM!!! HOLD ON!!!” he called out to her, hoping to free himself from Hannes in order to go back and save her. He saw his mother reach out to him, and she was letting her tears fall freely, not bothering to wipe them away. The ground began to shake again and Eren saw the titan getting closer to his mother, making his fear spike instantly.

Faintly, he heard his mother’s voice calling out to him, and he strained his ears to hear it. “Eren! Levi! Please, stay alive! Protect each other, no matter what! Understand?!” she yelled. Her voice cracked, and her words made Eren break down, knowing that she was saying her last goodbye.

The titan stopped just behind his mother, its giant feet crushing the rubble underneath it as it stared at her, eyes glossed over with hunger. Eren saw his mother look up and her tears streamed down even faster. She knew there was no escape, but even with the threat of death literally looming her, she didn’t struggle.

It was as if all of her strength was gone with her tears, leaving nothing left for her to hold onto.

Eren could only watch in horror as the titan bent down, its hands easily lifting the stones and pieces of heavy wood from his mother’s body. As much as he wanted to go back to her, he knew that it would just result in him being killed as well. Levi would be left all alone, and there was no telling if Isabel and Furlan were even alive.

He felt numb to everything except the intense sensation of dread and fear, his eyes wide and tearful as he continued to gaze at his mother’s impending doom. The titan has successfully removed all of the obstacles in its path and scooped his mother into its large hands.

She was lifted up high into the air, the golden light from the sun illuminating her features like she was some sort of angel. Eren followed the titan’s movements with his eyes, but the feeling of confusion now clouded his mind, making him forget momentarily about the nightmare in front of him.

He could see his mother in the titan’s grip, her body struggling as her fists pounded onto the meaty appendage. But, what shocked Eren the most was the fact that his mother’s legs were kicking. She was thrashing them around, using any type of leverage she could use to find a way out.

Eren then realized that his mother had lied to them, only saying that her legs were broken so that Levi and him could have a chance to escape. She sacrificed herself to protect them both, even at the cost of her own life!

With that realization, Eren shook his head in denial, unable to come to terms with the fact that his mother gave her life up for him. She was about to die and he had to live with that pain for as long as he lived, knowing that if he had just gotten there quicker, none of this would have happened.

With his emotions getting the best of him, Eren jolted and screamed at the top of his lungs, “NO! STOP IT, PLEASE!” His begging fell on deaf ears though, since the titan ignored him and brought his mother closer to its mouth.

His mother, meanwhile, only struggled even more. Her body twisted as much as it could, her tiny fists hitting her captor over and over again. Through it all though, his mother didn’t scream or cry out for help. She kept silent, her fighting instincts coming to the surface.

Eren knew that his mother couldn’t fight forever, and apparently, so did the titan. Another huge hand reached up and slowly covered his mother’s body from view, only the bottom portion of her dress visible. Her legs all of a sudden began to kick more frantically, and Eren guessed it was out of fear of not being able to see.

He wondered what the titan was going to do, but he got his answer when the titan bent its hand, forcing his mother to lean back at a surely painful angle. The deafening _CRACK!_ that vertebrated through the atmosphere made him tense and his fingers clench.

His mother’s body went limp in the titan’s hand, and when she was uncovered again, he saw that she was completely hunched over, her arms dangling over her head. Her legs stopped kicking, and it looked like she was gone. The titan had snapped his mother’s spinal cord, effectively killing her before it had even put her in its mouth.

Eren opened his mouth to yell or scream, but nothing came out. It was like all of his senses evaporated, his soul dimming by the second as he watched his mother’s limp body being placed in the titan’s gaping mouth. Its eyes were sparkling, like it was happy of the dreadful action it had committed.

Strands of saliva were visible from the titan’s mouth, and once his mother was placed securely inside, the titan clamped down, its teeth cutting through skin, bones, and muscle instantly. Blood gushed from his mother’s corpse, now split in two, and it spilled onto the titan’s chin and neck as well as onto the nearby houses and dirt on the ground.

Eren at this point couldn’t feel anything anymore, his body numb from shock. He had just witnessed his mother being broken in half, eaten by a monster that held absolutely no remorse for its actions. His mother was gone, her body entirely devoured like a meal as her bottom half was tossed into the titan’s awaiting mouth, chewed like a piece of gum.

As Hannes continued running, Eren faintly heard sobs coming from his other side and when he turned, he noticed Levi with his head down. His shoulders were shaking and Eren realized that both he and Levi knew the pain of losing a parent now. First Levi with the kidnappers over a year ago, and now himself with the titans.

Eren let that thought sink in for a few minutes before he turned his attention back to the titan that had taken his mother away from him. Apparently done with its meal, the titan had turned its back to him and gave them one last look before going on its way somewhere else to do who knows what.

Eren knew that they were getting closer to the bay judging by the loud screams, but he didn’t care that they were safe anymore. He didn’t care that he had made it out alive along with Levi. He didn’t care that Hannes saved them from the death by a titan.

Because, even if they would be able to leave safely, the same couldn’t be said for his mother, who was now sitting inside that titan’s stomach.

A fate that she didn’t _deserve_.


	9. Four: Part Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Having his mother ripped away from him was possibly his worst nightmare. But, as of now, Eren’s and his friends’ future rests in his hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part three is finally up! I almost forgot to update this, but reading the manga reminded me. Thank goodness for that!
> 
> FYI: Who else has read the latest chapter of the manga? To be quite honest, I somehow knew that the woman (I can’t bother to remember her name) had some sort of connection to Mikasa and her family.
> 
> I’m not really a big Mikasa fangirl, but her blush when Historia (I think) commented on her showing her mark to Eren was kind of adorable! KAWAI!!!!
> 
> I’m done rambling now XD. Sorry! I just had the urge to talk about that.

Eren stared straight ahead of him, blank eyes watching as other villagers scrambled up the wooden planks to get on the boat. They pushed and scratched at each other, desperate to flee from the dangerous titans still hunting behind them.

This was the first time Eren had seen his fellow villagers act so ruthlessly, every man, woman, and child for themselves. If you managed to survive, then you got to see another day. But if you fell and didn’t pick yourself up, then nobody would come to help, letting you suffer the pain and terror of being a titan’s next meal.

Levi and he, however, were spared by the others, managing to get to the front of the crowd. Hannes had managed to get them to the bay safely, and now he was sending them off, making sure that they would get on the boat. One of Hannes’ hands were placed on each of their shoulders, leading them through the people still in their way.

Eren noticed that his hands were still shaking, having never stopped since they had left his mother behind. But, as much as they shook, their hold was gentle and warm, reminding Eren so much of his father’s touch.

Through the feeling of numbness, Eren had the strong urge to shake off that hand and scream at Hannes, the man that had failed to come through on his promise. He failed him, Levi, and his mother. Because of him, Levi and he would grow up without his mother’s guidance.

Levi had lost another person that he loved, his adoptive mother that cared for him as if he was her own and did everything in her power to make him feel part of a family again. Levi had his heart ripped out of his chest once again, experiencing the pain and suffering that losing a loved one caused.

And him? He had lost the most important woman in his life, the woman that suffered through months of pain to bring him into this dangerous yet beautiful world. The woman that loved and cared for him, even when he didn’t appreciate it at the time. She had taken all of his flaws, her eyes still shining with love as she raised him to be strong for himself and others.

But, even when he so deeply wanted to do just that, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Rationally, he couldn’t blame Hannes for what happened to his mother. The man did his best to save her, and in the end, that was all he could do. This world was cruel, nobody knowing what would happen until it was too late to stop it.

Eren knew that Hannes wanted to save his mother, yet his fear overcame him and he took off with Levi and him in tow. Even if he couldn’t rescue her, Hannes complied with her final wish: to save him and Levi. She died, but Eren knew that she did so with the weight of her children’s safety at ease.

As Hannes gently pushed him and Levi onto the boat, Eren turned around and gave the man a look, silently telling him that he didn’t hold any grudges against him for his actions. The haunted look on Hannes’ face lightened up a little, and he was rewarded with a slight nod in return.

He turned away from them and aided with keeping the rest of the villagers away from the edge, since the boat was closing its entry and starting to move away. In response, the people started to panic and some even managed to break free from the commotion, jumping into the water to escape the titans. Which, by the way, were taking their sweet time as they came closer.

The pleads from the villagers to come back for them pained Eren, but he had no control of what was happening. The only thing he could do now was hope that Hannes and the rest would be okay until the next boat arrived.

He turned away from his broken village, the sight of it making him sick with the looming figures of roaming titans surrounding it. Pushing the image to the back of his mind, Eren thought about what was going to happen now.

With his mother gone and his village overrun with titans, there was nowhere for him and Levi to go. He was positive that they would be staying somewhere within the next wall, but that could only last so many days. Sooner or later, they would have to decide on what to do and get on with their lives.

It wasn’t that difficult for him to figure things out for himself. He was still joining the Survey Corps, with an even stronger determination than ever before, but Levi was a different story. The younger boy, as far as he knew, wasn’t interested in joining, preferring to stay back and have a relatively normal life like everyone else.

Now that they only had each other, Eren wasn’t too keen on letting Levi go on his own. Of course the raven could take care of himself, but it would give Eren peace of mind to be with him in case something like this ever happened again. Maybe he could convince Levi to join the Survey Corps as well? With Levi’s strength and resilience, Eren was sure that he would make an excellent soldier.

Reminding himself to talk to Levi about this later, Eren focused on the present. He was still near the back of the boat, Levi standing beside him with his face almost entirely covered by the scarf and eyes dark and gloomy. Eren felt sympathy for the raven, since he didn’t deserve to feel this pain again, only a year after his own mother’s death.

He failed in keeping Levi happy. Now, it was like when he rescued him all over again. That timid demeanor, those hopeless eyes, and that trembling form was a side of Levi he hadn’t seen since more than a year ago. Gently placing his hand on Levi’s shoulder, he gave a comforting squeeze and felt the tremors decrease until they stopped altogether.

“It’ll be okay,” he muttered reassuringly. He wasn’t sure if he was doing it for Levi’s sake or his own, but it apparently worked in calming the boy down. It felt weird, comforting someone else when he was the one that lost his mother. But this was different. It affected both of them equally, they both lost someone they loved and they couldn’t do anything to stop it.

When he thought that Levi was okay, Eren retracted his hand and nudged his head to the front of the boat, motioning for Levi to follow him. The other nodded and once he walked ahead a bit, he heard Levi follow. Even though Eren knew they were safe, he still occasionally looked back just to make sure Levi was still there.

On one of his routine turns, he must have stared too long because he roughly bumped into another body, effectively making him back up a few steps into Levi. His arms were grabbed to steady him, and Eren gave his friend a small smile for his aid. He gently shook off the other’s hands, preparing to keep on walking, but the person he bumped into stood in front of him.

“What the hell, Eren?!” the other asked, an angry look on his face. Eren groaned and rolled his eyes, annoyed that he had run into someone he didn’t feel like arguing with. It was one of the kids that he had fought against when Levi had reunited with Furlan and Isabel.

And he wasn’t alone either. His two friends were there as well, standing behind him, arms crossed over their chests. Apparently, they were trying to make themselves look intimidating, but all it did was make them look foolish in Eren’s eyes. He hated these three, yet he didn’t even know their names!

Hell, he didn’t even know how this hatred for them even started.

In the back of his mind, he vaguely wished he could toss those three jerks back to the village so that they could get eaten by titans, but as much as he wished, he couldn’t. So, as the next best option, he stood up to his full height and walked forward, intent to push all of them out of his way.

“Just move, jackass. I don’t have the time to deal with you or your goons today,” he insulted as he looked straight ahead. He aggressively pushed the leading boy’s shoulder with his own, and it resulted in him being pushed to the side, a shocked look on his face.

He was almost out of their way, but a hand roughly gripped his arm and pulled him back, making him momentarily lose his balance. His arms reached out to grab onto something, and he regained his footing. Once stable, he stared into the boy’s eyes, his own shining with anger and impatience.

“What part of move don’t you understand?! I’m not in the mood to fight you right now!” he seethed as his hands clenched into fists. By now, other passengers were taking notice of the escalating situation, but no one made a move to step in.

“Nice try, tough guy. But I’ve got a score to settle with you and your friend here for what happened last time,” the leader answered as he brought his fists together and cracked his knuckles. He had an arrogant smirk on his face and his friends were laughing, which only increased Eren’s anger.

“Now,” the boy said as he crouched into a fighting stance, “let’s make this quick, shall we?” He lunged at Eren, his friends standing back, letting their leader do all of the work. Eren growled and prepared his body for the impact he was about to get, but he was suddenly pushed to the side, making him lose his balance a third time.

He saw a blur run towards his attacker, a hand shooting out and gripping the extended fist that was aimed towards his face. The boy stopped his advance, a startled look on his face as he stared at who had blocked his attack. Levi was standing in front of him, a murderous look in his steel blue eyes as he tightened his grip on the boy’s wrist, eliciting a sharp cry of pain.

Levi expertly twisted the boy’s hand completely, making the back of his wrist touch his back as he spun his opponent around. With the new position in place, Levi used his arm strength to push the boy towards the wall next to where Eren was, the impact against his head making the boy dizzy.

Trying to get his bearings, the boy backed away from the wall, clutching his head as he groaned. Eren watched as Levi clutched the front of his shirt, turning him around so that he could face him as he lifted the boy up from the ground, his opponent’s legs kicking.

Eren could easily tell that the boy was terrified. Hell, he would be too and he was extremely close to Levi! However, the look in Levi’s eyes and his body language clearly showed that he was not in the mood either to deal with their shenanigans. There was also a hint of protectiveness in those eyes, and for once, Eren was glad that Levi felt that way about him.

Levi brought the boy’s face close to his own and Eren could hear the boy’s heavy breathing in the silence. “Eren told you to move. This is the only warning you’ll get from me. Next time, I’ll break your arm,” Levi warned in a relatively calm voice. Eren was astounded that he could keep his temper in check.

“Now, it’s time for you to go,” Levi finished as he tossed the boy away from him like he was as light as a feather and into his two friends, who had done nothing to help. Eren watched as the trio shared frightened looks at one another before pushing each other in the opposite direction, eager to put enough distance between them and Levi.

Now that their obstacles were out of their way, Eren could finally push himself away from his position against the wall. He stared at Levi, who didn’t even look tired by the altercation, and marveled at the boy’s abilities. He had never seen somebody their age match up with Levi’s skills, and it made Eren even more eager to convince him to join the Survey Corps.

“Thanks,” he mumbled as he began to walk again. He saw Levi nod and he waited until he was next to him before he continued. Their walk was quiet, neither really in the mood to discuss anything, especially of what had happened earlier.

Eren, now that he had some time to think, wished that he could block out his memories forever. All he could see was his mother being eaten, her body torn in half as it was ingested, pushed down the titan’s throat. He remembered her tears and pleads before she was grabbed, how terrified she looked when she realized that she was going to die.

He wanted to block those memories out! But, the more he tried to think of something else, the more he thought back on it. It was like his brain was going on rewind over and over again. Once it was finished, it just started from the beginning again.

Eren clenched his eyes shut, hoping that it would aid in keeping the visions at bay for a while. However, it only made them worse, if that was even possible. The intensity of them almost made him scream, but he kept his mouth shut. He didn’t want to worry Levi more than he already had.

Speaking of Levi, Eren felt a tug on his sleeve and he opened his eyes in alarm. He looked at Levi and when he saw relief and happiness shining in his eyes, Eren furrowed his brows in confusion. What in the world could make Levi look like that?

Levi lifted his other arm and pointed at something in front of him, his excitement increasing as his eyes followed to where he was looking at. When his eyes focused on the figures a few feet in front of them, Eren smiled in relief and felt a bit of tension leave from his body.

There was no mistaking those heads of red and dull blonde hair.

“Isabel! Furlan!” He called out as he began to run towards them. Their heads whipped around at the sound of his voice and he saw their eyes shining with relief. It seemed that they weren’t the only ones who managed to make it out safely.

When Eren and Levi reached them, Eren scanned them over multiple times, making sure that they weren’t injured in any way. Fortunately, there was no visible trauma on either of them and he allowed himself to relax.

Thank goodness that they were all still alive and together again. Eren had feared that they had met the same fate as his mother, but it seemed like luck was on his side for once. He honestly didn’t know what he would do if he lost Isabel and Furlan. They were like family to him and if he had to live without them, it would tear him apart.

“I’m so happy you guys are okay! We were worried sick about you two when we lost sight of you!” Isabel said as she came closer than necessary to check them. Her eyes were still worried, but Eren knew that would be gone in a few hours.

But, as physically okay they were, the same couldn’t be said for their mental health. They had all seen something horrible, whether it be from the titans or the falling stones that did just as much damage. Their eyes had a haunted look in them, something that would most likely remain until they died.

They were just kids, and yet they had already seen so much horror.

“We’ll be fine, Isabel. Don’t worry about it too much. We just ran into a bit of trouble,” Levi spoke up for the first time. Isabel, seemingly accepting his answer after a few more seconds, nodded and her shoulders sagged. Now that she wasn’t worrying, Eren could tell that she was exhausted from today’s events.

In fact, they all looked like they would pass out in a matter of seconds.

“That’s good to hear. By the way, where’s your mom, Eren? I want to say hi since I haven’t seen her in so long,” Isabel asked as she looked expectantly at him. At the mention of his mother, Eren tensed and his hands clenched into fists by his side. He ducked his head, shielding his pain-filled eyes with his hair.

The atmosphere suddenly went dark and Eren could feel Levi shuffling beside him. Obviously, they were both not in the mood to talk about what they had seen before they arrived here. Eren breathed in and out as slowly as he could, trying to suppress his rage so he wouldn’t accidentally lash out at anyone.

He could see through his hair that Furlan and Isabel had frozen as well, not knowing what had happened to them. After a few tense seconds, he saw Isabel hesitantly step forward, a cautious look in her eyes. This was the first time that Eren had seen his cousin look so unsure of herself.

“Eren? What’s going on? Is your mom here?” she asked in a softer voice than before. Even the way she said it angered Eren, but only because that was the same tone his mother used whenever he was upset. It made him realize that she would never get to say anything ever again.

“No,” he stated quietly. If he raised his voice any higher, then Eren was positive that all of his emotions would explode. “Well then, where is she?” his cousin asked. Her question had a demanding undertone to it, but it was still as soft as before.

Since he couldn’t find any more words to say, Eren simply looked up from his gaze on the floor and gave Isabel a look. It was laced with heartbreak, anger, sadness, and pain, his mouth shut tightly to keep himself from verbally announcing it.

He knew that Isabel understood what he meant when her eyes widened, the green orbs getting darker as she took more time to think. Her form started to shake and she began to shake her head, tears pooling into her unbelieving eyes. She slowly backed away from him, bumping into Furlan and hunching in on herself.

All that could be heard was Isabel’s tiny sobs as she began to cry in front of him, and people were starting to look at them in sympathy. Eren ignored them, focusing on his cousin that was crying her eyes out. Furlan’s arms wrapped themselves around her, bringing her smaller body towards him to comfort her.

Eren heard someone sniffling beside him and when he turned, he saw that Levi was crying as well, tears cascading down his pale cheeks and disappearing under the red scarf wrapped tightly around his neck. His eyes looked fearful and Eren wanted to comfort him as well, but he needed to calm himself down first.

All of a sudden, Isabel’s sharp cry of, “NO!!!” made his head whip around to face the other two once more. He saw as Isabel wretched herself free from Furlan’s arms, her hands coming up to clutch the front of his shirt. He looked into her eyes, shocked at her outburst, and saw the watery orbs looking at him with hope.

“Please tell me you tried to save her! You didn’t give up, right Eren?! Please, say that you did everything you could!” Isabel pleaded as her fingers tightened. Their faces were so close to each other’s that the only thing he could see were her eyes. Not being able to handle seeing those sad eyes any longer, he turned away so that he wouldn’t break down himself.

“I tried, Isabel. I really did. I just wasn’t strong enough,” he whispered, the last sentence coming out hatefully. His eyes narrowed as he looked out into the water, which had turned into a deep shade of purple. Its soothing waves as the boat cut through it relaxed him some, but the anger was still there.

He felt Isabel finally let go of his shirt, the cloth wrinkled horribly, but he didn’t care. Isabel was still crying, but her sobs were calmer now, and she allowed Furlan to lead her onto a nearby bench to sit on. She leaned into him, letting his taller frame conceal her cries as the blonde looked back at him in sadness over what had happened.

Eren couldn’t take being surrounded by so many people, so with a look aimed towards Furlan to watch over Isabel, he turned away without a word and walked to the back of the boat. He was relieved to find that nobody was there, guessing that everyone had either went inside or to the front so that they wouldn’t have to see what they were leaving behind.

Eren leaned on the rail of the boat, being mindful of staying on guard in case he would fall off. He rested his chin on his arms, watching the water as it splashed against the boat, a couple of drops hitting his face. He didn’t wipe them away, letting the freshness of the water calm him to a bearable level.

Now that he was free to think, he allowed his mind to bring forth the images he had tried to suppress. Blood, broken bodies, the terrified screams of people dying, it all played on repeat. He saw the giant titans, their ugly faces and misshapen bodies making him sick. Their eyes, emotionless but filled with hunger, made him angry.

The titans had ruined everything. They took away his life, his innocence, his village, and his mother. They came and took what they wanted, feeling no remorse for what they had done, only caring about their next meal. Eren hated the titans with a passion, but the one thing he hated the most was himself.

He had been too weak to save his mother. He couldn’t help her escape from underneath that rubble, even when she was trying to help him by trying to get out as well. She had died because he couldn’t do anything to help. Even with Levi helping him, he couldn’t do it. And, his punishment for being so weak, was watching as his mother was devoured.

Eren felt his nails dig into his palm with the force of his closed fists, but he didn’t retract them. He deserved to feel this pain, after all that he had failed to do to save his mother. She didn’t deserve to suffer, but she did and no matter how much Eren wanted to go back and do it all over again, nothing could be done about it. There was no rewind button when it came to this life.

Suffering through his mother’s death, it just made his wishes to join the Survey Corps even stronger. No longer would he question whether he would go through with it or not, because there was no denying it now. He wanted to help humanity! He wished to save people from the loss he had suffered, because no one deserved to have their loved ones taken away from them.

He wanted to fight against the titans and avenge his mother, though she probably didn’t want him to think like this. He made a vow to himself that he would kill every single titan that came into his path, not letting a single one live. Especially the one that took his mother away. Those monsters didn’t deserve to live when all they did was hurt others.

“You’re going to cut yourself if you keep doing that,” a soft voice said from behind him. It startled him and he turned, but relaxed once he saw that it was only Levi. Maybe he was thinking too much if he didn’t hear the other boy coming.

Looking at Levi’s face, Eren noticed that he had stopped crying, but his eyes were still red and dry tear stains were visible on his pale cheeks. Eren still didn’t like that he was suffering, but at least he had calmed down. “I deserve to have a few cuts on me. They’re punishment,” he mumbled as he looked away from Levi.

“There’s no reason for you to punish yourself, Eren,” Levi said, still staying behind him. Eren snorted at that and gave a humorless laugh. It sounded eery in the silence of the boat. “Of course I do! After all, my mother’s death is all my fault,” he explained.

Hearing the words out loud hurt him more than he thought, but he told himself that it was the truth. “Her blood is on my hands,” he whispered as he looked at his red palms, nail indents marking them. He wondered what his mother would tell him if she heard him saying this. She would probably smack him on the head and scold him, and Eren let a small smile grace his lips at the thought.

“Eren, you did the best you could to save her. I think we both knew that our efforts were pointless, and she did too. That’s why she told us to leave her behind,” Levi stated as he came up next to him, his hands gripping the rail as he looked at him. “This world is cruel, and sometimes all you can do is push through it and get moving. Your mother’s gone, but at least she’s somewhere safe, where no one can hurt her anymore.”

Eren admitted that Levi did have a point. His mother wouldn’t have to fear about the titans anymore. She was at peace up above, where he knew she was watching over him. Still, that didn’t erase his doubts. “But if I was just a little stronger, then maybe I could’ve done more,” he insisted. His eyes were downcast, looking at the water in the distance.

“Stop doubting yourself, Eren! The boy that I know would have stood back up and done everything he could to fix his mistakes. Don’t you remember what you told me almost a year ago when I had doubts of myself?” Levi asked as he gazed at him, a hint of anger in his eyes. Eren thought about it for a few minutes, but shook his head when he couldn’t remember anything.

At this, Levi gave a small smile as his hand traced over his scarf, his fingers caressing the soft material. “You told me that I was strong, that I could do anything I set my mind to. You made me believe in myself again and that’s what you need to do! You’re just as strong as me, Eren. Use that to push forward and don’t give up!” he said with conviction.

Eren thought about Levi’s words and felt his spirits lift a bit. His eyes weren’t as sad or angry, and now they held a fire in them that he had never experienced before. Levi was right! He was strong, and he would use that to his advantage in his quest to join the Survey Corps!

Speaking of which…

“Hey, Levi?” he asked the other. Said boy looked at him and made a humming noise in the back of his throat. Eren took a moment to think over his words before he swallowed and opened his mouth. “Have you ever thought about joining the Survey Corps yourself?” he questioned.

Levi looked surprised by his question, but composed himself and looked at the sky, a thoughtful look on his face. “I actually have thought about it, but not in some time. I was always interested in the Survey Corps, even before I met you, and I had an admiration towards the soldiers. I sometimes thought it would be a good thing to join, but I stopped once everything happened,” he explained.

Eren was momentarily speechless, his eyes a little wide. He had never known about Levi’s feelings about the Survey Corps, never one to bring up the topic in fear of his own secret getting out. But, now that he knew that Levi was actually interested made his intentions a little easier to accomplish.

“Why do you ask?” Levi questioned as he stared back. Eren gave a sheepish smile and rubbed his neck, unsure of how to go about this. “Well...I was actually hoping that you would join with me,” he said as he shyly looked up, a little afraid that Levi would get mad at him.

Instead, all he saw on Levi’s face was confusion. “Why would you want me to join?” he asked. Eren took a moment to think over his answer again. “I just...with mom gone and dad who knows where, it’s just us. It would help us stay together with Isabel, and who knows what Furlan’s going to do. That way, if you join, then we could help and protect each other,” he said with a blush.

Of course there were other reasons why he wanted Levi to join, but he wouldn’t let the other boy know.

Levi thought about his offer for a while and after some time, he shrugged his shoulders and gave a smile. “Alright, I’ll join along with you and Isabel. After all, your mom wanted us to stay alive and keeping an eye on you will be quite hard. We’ll stay together and protect each other as much as we can. Besides, I want to save humanity as much as you do,” he reasoned.

Eren felt a huge smile grace his features and he let out an excited yelp, his arms going around Levi’s frame to bring him in for a hug. He heard Levi make a shocked noise, but he still reciprocated the gesture. A slight chuckle could be heard from his throat, but Eren didn’t care.

He was just happy that Levi had agreed to his offer. Now, they would stick together along with Isabel and fight off the titans. With Levi’s skills and his and Isabel’s determination, Eren was sure that they would do just fine. At least he was making his mother proud, since he had no intention of leaving Levi behind.

All they needed to do was start training and, hopefully, they would be able to save humanity from certain extinction.


	10. Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi comes to the realization that Eren is losing his temper, often getting into fights and distancing himself from his friends. He, as well as Isabel and Furlan aren’t going to sit by and let it continue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here’s another update! Though this one is only a one-shot compared to the previous ones. My chapters have become pretty long lately, which I guess is a good thing ^_^
> 
> This one will be in Levi’s POV, something that I feel I haven’t written in a looonnnggg time.
> 
> BTW, who else is excited for SNK season 3 tomorrow?! I’m literally squealing inside cause I saw the dubbed version of the trailer like two days ago, and just like the sub, it’s amazing! I honestly love both subbed and dubbed versions, so I don’t care which one I watch. Though, I’m pretty sure I’ll watch both ^_^
> 
> Sorry I rambled, but I just had to get it out there before my mind blows up. Hopefully you all enjoy this chapter and see you all next weekend!
> 
> **Takes place about four years after the wall breaks. Eren, Isabel, Furlan, and Levi are in the middle of training. Eren is 15, Levi and Isabel are 14, and Furlan is 16.**

“Eren, you’ve been out here for hours. Everyone else is getting dinner,” Levi said as he stood off to the side, his arms crossed as he watched his friend train. It was extremely hot today, more so than the previous days, and it made Levi’s clothes stick to his sweaty skin.

He had just come back from his shower, and already he was beginning to sweat, feeling small drops of the salty liquid pour down his forehead. He felt disgusted, not liking the idea that he was going to smell just because Eren wasn’t finished yet.

The brown-haired boy had refused to leave the training grounds like everyone else, instead wanting to stay for a few more minutes to get some things straightened out. Levi had tried to change his mind, saying that he would possibly get dehydration if he stayed.

However, Eren had shrugged his worries aside, saying that he would be fine and that he could take care of himself for a while. Knowing how stubborn his friend could be, Levi had given up and left to clean up and do other chores.

But, even when he was busy with something else, his thoughts would always go back to Eren. He was actually starting to worry about him, something that he would never admit to anyone other than Isabel or Furlan. The boy was acting out of character these past few days, and it stressed him out because he didn’t know why.

Eren was known to have a temper, just like himself, but in these two years training, he had never gone off on one of his companions. Just a few days ago, he almost got into a fight with another trainee, over what he didn’t know since he came in when the others were keeping the two boys apart.

Eren especially got into verbal fights with someone named Jean, or more commonly called, ‘horse face.’ It was something that Eren had come up with one day, casually saying over dinner about how similar he looked to an actual horse, and it stuck. Levi had tried to make him stop saying such a thing, but even he couldn’t control Eren all of the time.

Eren’s change in attitude was beginning to anger him, since he didn’t like who his friend was turning into. These past few days, all he did was train outside, never stopping unless he, Isabel, or Furlan intervened. He wouldn’t even eat, saying that there were more important things to do than just sit around.

Levi had to actually drag him to dinner yesterday, and he really didn’t want to repeat that incident. But, seeing Eren training with such an intense look in his eyes let him know that the teal-eyed boy wasn’t going to stop willingly. He was surprised that Eren was still out here, when even he had to call it off because of the harsh sun.

As he watched, he could see how tense Eren was, his muscles coiled like a spring and his eyes cold, staring straight ahead as he continued to train. His entire body was sweaty, the loose shirt he wore acting like second skin. Just seeing him made Levi shudder, his impulse for cleanliness rearing its ugly head again.

He sighed in aggravation, his foot tapping on the ground impatiently. “Eren, I think you’ve done enough training for today,” he said. There was no way he was going to let his friend kill himself out here in the sun. What good would he be in the Survey Corps if he killed himself beforehand?

“Not yet, Levi! I’ve still got to train a little bit more!” Eren panted without even sparing him a glance. The breathless tone he used just made Levi even more concerned and he bristled at the blow off. If Eren thought that he would back off, then he had another thing coming.

Uncaring if he got injured by accident, he walked until he was directly in front of Eren, a stern look in his eyes. Eren, confused by his actions, stopped training and began to catch his breath. “No more training, Eren! What’s the point of you being here if you’re just going to exhaust yourself?” he asked.

“I’m trying to get stronger, Levi! How can I expect to survive in the Survey Corps if I can’t even handle some hours of training?” Eren retaliated. Levi saw anger in his eyes, but he knew that Eren wasn’t telling the complete truth. He was hiding something from him and he didn’t like it. They were supposed to be truthful to each other.

“You know that luck is just as important as strength. At the end of the day, luck has to be on your side if you want to survive,” Levi said as he tried to figure out what Eren was actually thinking. Though he knew that Eren wanted to become the best, Levi had never seen him act so relentless in his goal. His extensive training and mood swings had only started recently, so something must have happened then.

Eren huffed and made a move to continue, but Levi reached out to grip his wrist, immobilizing him. Eren tried to pull himself free, but he was the stronger of the duo. “What the hell, Levi?!” Eren asked as he tried even harder to free himself.

“This has to stop, Eren! I’m not letting you train anymore today. You’ve got to rest or else you might injure yourself,” Levi said as he leveled his friend with a strict gaze. Usually, he never had to order Eren around like he was a small child, but there was no other choice since he was being so difficult.

“I’ve still got some fight in me! I promise I’ll get some food later, but until then, I’m staying here,” Eren stubbornly retaliated. Levi felt his left eye twitch and he tightened his hold on Eren’s wrist, eliciting a hiss of pain from the other boy. If Eren wasn’t going to listen to him, then Levi would resort to punching the daylights out of him if it meant the boy would get some rest.

“You’ve said that line before, Eren. You need to take care of yourself or else you’ll be useless in the Survey Corps. Now, go to the cottage and shower. You stink,” Levi ordered as he sneered at Eren’s sweaty clothes. He let go of his wrist and wiped his hand on his shirt, the wetness from Eren’s skin making him almost gag.

Eren must have realized he wasn’t going to take no for an answer, so he grudgingly dragged himself in the direction of their shared cottage. Levi heard him grumble something under his breath, but he could care less of the insults his friend was saying. He gave himself a mental pat on the back for his achievement before he began to follow Eren.

He kept his eyes on Eren’s sweaty back, watching as the teen rotated his shoulders. He massaged the back of his neck, which was obviously stiff, and Levi could hear groans of discomfort coming from his mouth. He furrowed his eyebrows and his eyes shone in concern for Eren’s well being, but he knew that if he asked about his condition, Eren would say he was fine.

Once they arrived in front of the cottage, Eren stopped and turned to face him, giving him a slightly aggravated look. “You stay out here while I shower. I need some time alone,” he said. Levi raised an eyebrow at his order, but he nodded and stood his ground.

“Fine. But if I catch you sneaking away to train again, I will not hesitate to break your legs,” he warned. He pointedly looked down at the appendages, making sure that Eren knew he was being serious. When he looked back up, he saw Eren swallow nervously before he turned and walked inside the cottage, the wooden door slamming a little too hard.

Now alone, Levi closed his eyes and brought his hands up to massage his temples, feeling a headache coming on. He made his way over towards the front steps and gingerly sat down, bringing his knees close to his chest. He looked at the ground, his eyes thoughtful as he waited patiently for Eren to clean up.

What was happening with Eren? Why was he acting so out of control and overexerting himself every day? It was so unlike him to be this upset with anyone or anything. The Eren he knew was cheerful and friendly towards his companions, going out of his way to befriend them no matter who they were.

He had managed to make friends with a few groups of trainees, all of them having fun in the midst of training and preparing for the day they would join the Survey Corps or whichever branch they chose. Eren had opened his arms to them, inviting anyone who was interested to be his friend. 

Now, it was like he was looking at a complete stranger. He had never seen Eren so detached and temperamental, easily getting angry towards the others. He had even snapped at Isabel at one point during the past few days, which had led to a verbal match between the two. In the end, Eren had left them, going on his own to who knows where.

But, as of late, Levi had noticed a sort of tension between Eren and Jean. The two never really got along, trading insults towards each other whenever they acknowledged the other’s presence. But, as annoyed Eren was towards the other boy, he had never been this out of control.

Last night, when Jean had said something regarding Eren, the boy had stood up and marched towards him, clutching the shirt Jean had been wearing. Levi had looked over in concern, and was shocked to see that Eren had such a disdainful look in his eyes. The way Eren had looked at Jean was the same way he looked at the bullies in Shiganshina.

Thankfully, Levi had managed to diffuse the situation, separating Eren from Jean as quickly as possible. He didn’t want Eren to be punished by Commander Shadis, especially over something so stupid as a fight.

But, what haunted Levi the most about that night was the way Eren had looked at him when he pulled him away.

Those teal eyes gazed at him with so much hatred that it actually made Levi freeze for a few moments, his heart chilling at the knowledge that it was being directed at him. Eren had pushed him aside and left the dining hall, and Levi didn’t see him again for the remainder of the night.

Isabel, seeing the way Eren had treated him, had such a menacing look in her eyes and her teeth were clenched in a scowl. She had stood up, promising to kick Eren’s ass for his attitude, but Furlan pulled her back down and reasoned with her that it was probably best to leave Eren alone.

She grumbled about it for a while, but eventually let it go once Levi had assured her that he was okay. But, that didn’t mean that he wasn’t still hurt by Eren’s actions towards him. He was only trying to help, but maybe he just made the situation worse.

Hopefully he could talk to Eren about what happened and get some sort of explanation out of him. But, even with an explanation, that didn’t mean that Isabel wouldn’t kick Eren senseless when he went to dinner. In her opinion, nothing warranted that kind of behavior.

Levi, feeling a slight gust of wind breeze through him, grasped his scarf and pulled it higher to cover his neck. The soft texture of it and the smell that was a combination of him and Eren calmed him down a bit, but he still envisioned those hateful eyes. It made his grip on the scarf tighten.

He didn’t think he could handle Eren being upset with him. The boy was his friend, one of the few people he could trust completely in this cruel world. Eren had saved him from a fate that would’ve killed him, he took him into his home and made him feel like he belonged again. He taught Levi how to live, to take advantage of the small things and find appreciation from his surroundings.

Eren was his whole world. He was his family, as well as Isabel and Furlan, and he couldn’t bear the thought of not having Eren in his life. They had to stick together, something they had promised to Carla and themselves. That promise was what drove Levi in life. His goal was to protect Eren at all costs, even if he lost his life in the process.

Eren deserved to live, just like Isabel and Furlan. Him? He honestly didn’t care if he lived or died, as long as his friends could get to see the world beyond the walls. That was their dream, and Levi had to do whatever he could to make that dream a reality. They were each other’s family now, and he’d be damned before he allowed something as silly as a fight get in between them.

The sound of a door opening jolted him out of his thoughts and he turned his head, coming face to face with Eren. He looked remarkably better than before, his hair still a little damp, clean clothes draped over freshly-washed tan skin. From his sitting position, Levi could faintly trace the smell of grass and pine coming from Eren.

The door closed behind him and Levi took that as his cue to stand, dusting his pants in case he got them dirty. Once done, he looked at Eren and breathed a small sigh of relief when he noticed that the boy wasn’t as tense as before. His teal eyes were calmer, but now the drowsiness was beginning to show.

“Now that you’re not covered in sweat anymore, let’s go to the dining hall before all the food runs out,” Levi offered as his eyes inspected Eren’s tired face. He made a mental note to get Eren to bed early so that he could properly rest. He might try to put up another fight, but maybe with Isabel’s help he could pull it off.

Eren shrugged and allowed him to lead the way to where the others were, silently walking by his side. The quiet unnerved Levi and he twisted his hands into his scarf, hoping that it would occupy him until they arrived. Eren didn’t seem to want to talk, and Levi didn’t know where to begin a conversation.

However, from the corner of his eye, he could see Eren glancing at him from time to time. His eyes looked apologetic, but there was something else visible that he couldn’t decipher. Well, at least Levi knew that Eren didn’t hate him. That still didn’t explain his strange behavior though.

Climbing the wooden steps, Levi opened the door to another cottage and walked into the dining hall, which was quite full of other trainees. They were all sitting at various tables scattered around, talking amongst themselves as they ate. Everyone had their little group of friends, comfortable to be with someone they already knew. It was a time to relax from the day filled with chores, drills, and training.

Levi ignored them and made his way to the other side of the cottage, grabbing a bowl from the leftover pile and started to fill it with some type of soup. He grabbed a piece of bread from the counter, feeling lucky that it was still warm and soft, an apple, and filled a cup with water. Once done, he waited for Eren to get his dinner in order before he started to make his way towards their regular table.

Isabel and Furlan were already there, talking and eating at the same time as they arrived. Levi sat down and made room for Eren, inviting the brunette to sit next to him. Once they were both seated, Isabel rounded up on them, small pieces of bread falling from her mouth. Levi shuddered and resisted the urge to cover his friend’s mouth.

“Took you two long enough! I was beginning to think we wouldn’t see you for the rest of the evening,” she said. Her eyes landed on Eren for a few seconds, a glint of annoyance visible before it disappeared. Luckily, Eren didn’t notice it since he was busy stuffing his mouth with food.

Levi gave him a look that said, ‘I told you so’ before turning to his two other companions with an apologetic smile. “Sorry to keep you two waiting. Eren was just freshening up before we got here,” he replied. He didn’t want to mention the fact that Eren was still outside training, but he had a feeling they already knew that bit of information.

“That’s alright. It’s not like you missed anything important,” Furlan assured. Levi nodded and began to eat his dinner, trying to be as neat as possible so he wouldn’t get his clothes dirty. The table was quiet as they all focused on eating, and Levi took the opportunity to sneak glances at Eren.

The boy was quiet, the only sounds coming from him being his chewing. His eyes were downcast, green orbs looking intently at his bowl of soup as he placed a piece of bread in his mouth. His body was still tense, almost as if he was expecting someone to come out and attack him.

Seeing Eren like that made Levi sigh internally, his own eyes dropping as he brought his attention back to his food. He had hoped that Eren would come back to his senses and at least talk to them, but it didn’t look like he had those intentions. For the first time in a while, Levi longed to hear that voice again, just so that he could pretend everything was alright.

It made sitting at the table a bit awkward for him, and he knew that Isabel and Furlan felt the same way. Maybe it wasn’t a good idea to bring Eren after all. He obviously wasn’t over his little mood swing and there was no point in getting him to talk to them. Eren was stubborn that way and it irked Levi, but that was just a part of his personality. Nothing could change that.

“Eren? Are you alright? You haven’t been yourself lately,” Furlan wondered as he cautiously looked at the boy in front of him. Levi turned towards Eren, waiting for a response, but all he did was continue eating. It was like he hadn’t heard Furlan speak at all.

Levi was about to scold Eren for his obvious disrespect towards their friend, but Isabel beat him to it once again. “Hey! I know you heard him, Eren! Why don’t you stop being an asshole to your friends and explain what’s been up with you?!” she demanded. Her grip on her spoon was tight, her knuckles turning white as she glared at her cousin.

Levi honestly wasn’t surprised by her outburst. All three of them were frustrated with Eren’s recent behavior, but Isabel was having the hardest time to deal with it. Her last blood relative was shunning her, a complete act of disownment and betrayal. They all depended on each other and having Eren turn his back on them was shattering that bond they all shared.

Again, Eren ignored them and ate his fruit, his gaze on the table. Levi heard Isabel growl in frustration and as she made a move to stand, Levi placed his hand on top of hers, shaking his head. He too was beginning to lose his patience, but accusing Eren and ganging up on him wasn’t going to fix anything. In fact, it would just make things worse for everyone.

She was shocked by his interference, but a leveled gaze at her made her reluctantly sit back down. She breathed in deep to calm herself, but she still occasionally glanced at Eren, mumbling incoherent things under her breath. Beside her, Furlan was beginning to sweat, obvious to the fact that if things weren’t settled soon, things would get even uglier.

“Let’s just finish eating, alright? It’s been a long day and I’d like to get some rest after this,” Levi said as he glanced at all three of his friends. Furlan and Isabel nodded, the latter still reluctant, and Eren hummed in agreement. Positive that nothing would happen, Levi went back to finishing his bread.

“You know, we’re supposed to decide what branch we’re going to by the end of the month. Have you all decided?” Furlan asked, trying to diffuse the awkward tension. Levi felt grateful that he spoke up, feeling certain that if either he or Isabel said anything, it wouldn’t be good. 

“I’m still set on joining the Survey Corps,” Isabel replied, a confident look in her green eyes. Even when the training was unbearable, it didn’t deter her from her dream to fight for humanity. It actually made her even more determined to accomplish her goal.

“I’m with Isabel. I’m not changing my mind, even if the training gets overwhelming sometimes,” he added. His body spoke volumes about all they had been through these past two years. There were bruises on his torso and his legs, mostly from the maneuvering equipment, and he sometimes felt like sleeping in instead of training.

However, as time went on, he had managed to get the hang of it and now, he was proud to say that he could get through a whole day of training without feeling overwhelmed. He was at the top of his class when it came to actually fighting and his battle skills, but his academics needed a bit of work. That accomplishment would be handed to Furlan, who had a specialty of using his brain power.

“You know, you never told us directly about what branch you were thinking of joining, Furlan. Have you made up your mind yet?” Isabel asked. Levi too wondered what Furlan would choose, and he leaned forward just a bit to hear Furlan’s answer. The blonde had told them that he was interested in all three positions, but he never could make up his mind. Now, though, he had to decide since they would be done with training in a few months.

Levi could see a faint blush on Furlan’s cheeks, guessing that it was because he was put on the spot. He scratched his cheek and cleared his throat, a bead of sweat forming on his forehead. “Well, it took me a long time to decide, but I’m almost certain that I’m going to join the Survey Corps with you all,” he answered.

There was a moment of silence at the table before Isabel spoke up, her voice just on the verge of panicking. “What?! Why would you do that, Furlan?! With your brain, you could join the Military Police Brigade! You’re going to put yourself in danger!”

At this, Furlan sombered up and looked at Isabel with a serious gaze. “I admit that I’m more excelled academically, but I’m still one of the best when it comes to actually fighting. I don’t want to stay behind the walls and work for the royal family while you all go out and explore,” he said.

Levi shook himself out of his stupor and narrowed his eyes. “Furlan,” he called out, making his friend turn. The look in his eyes must’ve been completely serious, since Furlan gave him all of his undivided attention. “Joining the Survey Corps means that you’ll be battling titans almost every day. Going outside isn’t as grand as you think, and you know that. If you go through with this, then be prepared to see your comrades die, be prepared to make sacrifices, and be prepared to give up your life,” he advised.

“Levi! Don’t say that!” Isabel ordered. Her eyes held fear, but not for herself. Levi understood what she was trying to do, but in the end, it was Furlan’s choice. If he wanted to join them, there was nothing they could do to stop him. After all, it wouldn’t be fair if they prohibited Furlan from joining when he had accepted their decision about the Survey Corps.

“It’s the truth, Isabel. This is real life and he, as well as all of us, needs to understand the dangers of what awaits us when we become a part of the Survey Corps,” he said. He looked at Isabel, daring her to say otherwise, and she wisely quieted down, knowing that he was doing what needed to be done.

They all needed to be prepared for the worst because once they all joined the Survey Corps, their fates were sealed. It was almost guaranteed that one or all of them were going to die as titan lunch. As skilled as they all were compared to their other companions, they weren’t invincible. They could still get injured on a mission just like everybody else. Levi didn’t want them to be overconfident and make a stupid mistake.

“Are you fully prepared to die, Furlan? Are you willing to sacrifice yourself for humanity?” Levi asked as he turned back to the blonde. With no hesitation, Furlan nodded and Levi accepted his response, confident that his friend was going to do great things as part of the Survey Corps.

“Good. Now at least we’ll all be together. Not many people have that opportunity,” he said, his eyes downcast as he thought of the other innocent people that fell victim to the titans. He felt a rage inside of him just thinking about the lost souls that had lost everything they ever cared about. It made him feel confident in his decision to fight for humanity.

“I’m not even going to bother asking grumpy pants over there,” Isabel said as she motioned towards Eren. “I know for a fact that he hasn’t changed his mind and he most likely never will,” she finished. Levi nodded at her words, agreeing wholeheartedly that Eren wouldn’t deter from his wishes, even if he thought of them more than four years ago.

Eren grunted, probably the closest thing he could get to actually speaking, before he continued eating. His bread and bowl of soup were gone, leaving only the apple and water left to finish. Levi did a double take when he realized that Eren was nearly done, surprised that the brunette could eat so quickly. He guessed that Eren was more hungry than he let on.

After that, they didn’t talk about anything else, instead focusing on their food. Dinner would be over soon and none of them wanted to waste what essentials they had. They certainly couldn’t sneak food away for later, seeing as Commander Shadis expertly examined them and their belongings almost every night.

As he finished his apple, Levi waited for the bell to ring, signaling for them to leave. He was a bit anxious to get out of the dining hall, mostly for Eren’s sake. So far, the other teen hadn’t gotten himself into any sort of altercation with the others, and Levi wanted to keep it that way. For the first time in a while, Eren was actually having a somewhat good time.

A few silent minutes later, Levi could hear an approaching set of footsteps, and from the sound of it, there was more than one person. Amongst the chattering from the other trainees, Levi focused on hearing what the closest companions were talking about. To be quite honest, it wasn’t too hard since one of them was basically shouting it.

“Wow! Are you seriously joining the Military Police Brigade?” a voice asked, its octave having a somewhat deep undertone to it. Levi immediately recognized the owner as Connie Springer, one of Eren’s other close friends. The bald teen was sort of annoying, being amazed at basically everything he came across, but Levi had to admit that he was funny, especially when he was with his partner in crime, Sasha.

The next voice he heard though made him groan internally and he knew he could kiss his peaceful dinner out the window. “Of course, genius! I’m sure to be in the top ten so I’ll be able to choose which position I want to be in,” the voice belonging to Jean Kirstein boasted proudly as he walked next to the shorter teen.

From the corner of his eye, Levi saw Eren tense up and he cursed his luck. He looked at Isabel and Furlan, seeing that they both had the same facial expression as him, exasperated and hopeless. Levi just prayed that Jean wouldn’t say anything that would rub Eren the wrong way.

Unfortunately, the table they were seated in was conveniently near the station where all of their dirty dishes were placed. So, that meant that they could do nothing but listen as the pair continued to communicate. The two had already passed their table, holding their dirty plates and cups as they neared the station.

“But why won’t you join the Survey Corps? I mean, you have good leadership skills so you could bump yourself up to Captain in a few years,” Connie asked, his eyes shining in confusion. Even Levi had to admit that he had a point. As annoying and egotistical as Jean was, he did have a knack for leadership and he could get promoted early in his position.

Jean snorted, like if he thought Connie was joking. “Why the hell would I do that? You really think I’m gonna sacrifice my life in a war that’s obvious we won’t win? Listen, Connie, the titans have been around for who knows how long and it’s obvious whatever we’re doing so far isn’t helping our chances. Nah, I’d much rather stay behind the walls and be a part of the king’s command,” Jean explained.

As the words kept tumbling out of Jean, Levi could practically feel the bench he was sitting on vibrate from Eren’s anger. He looked at the boy and he saw his hands clenched in tight fists, his mouth set in a snarl as he looked at the table. Levi mentally ticked down the seconds until Eren couldn’t take it anymore. There was no doubt in Levi’s mind that another fight would happen, and it was already too late to calm Eren down.

“I guess you have a point…” Connie conceded, but Levi could tell that he was still unconvinced. Levi hoped that the conversation was over, because if Jean said one more thing, then somebody in here was going to get a couple of bruises.

“Besides, maybe those people deserved to die. I mean, what were they thinking, fighting the titans? They should know that they’re fighting a losing battle,” Jean finished. Levi shut his eyes, slumping against the table in front of him. How stupid was Jean? He vaguely heard Furlan say something along the lines of, “He doesn’t know when to shut up,” and Isabel grunted in agreement.

 _‘Three...two...one…’_ Levi thought as he patiently waited for the tension to boil over. As soon as he finished counting, he felt Eren stand up, the entire table scooting back a bit from the force, and Levi mentally prepared himself for another night of a moody Eren.

He opened his eyes and turned to the side, watching as Eren stomped over to the duo before he roughly spun Jean around with a hand on his shoulder. His back was tense and his form was trembling, showcasing that the old Eren was back.

“What the-?!” Jean exclaimed as he came face to face with Eren. Levi just thought that he was lucky Eren didn’t immediately punch his lights out. Eren wasn’t known for having a decent conversation, preferring to use his fists instead of his mouth. However, Levi kept a close eye on the pair, ready to intervene if it got out of hand again.

“So that’s what you think?! You think that those soldiers deserved to die when they were fighting our battles for us?!” Eren seethed as he grabbed the collar of Jean’s shirt. The entire dining hall had stopped their chattering, focusing on the verbal fight in front of them. Some sighed and turned back around, already used to the two fighting, while others continued to watch in mild interest, waiting to see if fists would be flying.

“What the hell is your problem?!” Jean asked as he ripped himself free from Eren’s grasp. He smoothed out the cloth and Levi shook his head, finding it rather amusing that Jean was more worried about his clothes than an angry Eren.

“Obviously, you have no idea about the sacrifices that those men and women have done for us! They gave their life to give humanity a fighting chance, and here you are, bad mouthing them when you know that if it wasn’t for them, you wouldn’t even be here right now!” Eren yelled as he came almost nose to nose with Jean.

In response, Levi hesitantly stood up from his seat, but didn’t make a move towards them. All of Eren’s anger was coming to the surface now. Everything that he had kept bottled up all of this time was spewing out, and there was no sign of it stopping any time soon. But, Levi knew that Eren needed to vent out his frustrations. At least this way, Eren was getting closer to the way he was before.

“Give it a rest, Eren! You have to know that if the titans wanted to, they could have killed us all in the blink of an eye! What match are we, mere humans, to those gigantic beasts?!” Jean retaliated. It was getting heated, and more trainees were starting to take interest in the fight. Connie had backed away and went back to his table, where Sasha and other trainees were sitting.

“At least we’ll be useful in something! Maybe in time, all of our efforts will be proven to take back this world! If we believe that, then I’m sure that humanity will be saved!” Eren spoke.

“You think believing is the same as it actually happening?! We don’t have a chance, Eren! Everybody here knows this, yet you’re the only one who still believes in this fantasy world of yours! Face it, we’ll always be ruled by the titans and we’ll always be condemned by these walls!” Jean tried to reason.

“No we won’t! I’ll eradicate the titans, I promise! Every single one will be dead beneath my feet, and while you stay here and live some cozy life, I’ll be the one who leads us into a new life!” Eren vowed as he began to shake even more violently.

All of a sudden, Jean began to laugh, like what Eren had said was some sort of joke. “You?! You really believe that you’ll defeat the titans?! I know you’re not the smartest tool in the shed, Eren, but this is probably the stupidest thing you’ve said! How can you defeat those things when you couldn’t even handle the vertical maneuvering equipment?!” Jean snorted.

Levi saw Eren dig his nails into his palm, trying to reign in his anger at the insult from the boy he hated. Eren never really could control his reactions if somebody insulted him, something that Levi had tried to help him with. He was getting remarkably better at it as time went by, but Eren was still sensitive when it came to certain things.

So, really, it wasn’t a surprise for Levi when he saw Eren pull his arm back, hand still formed into a tight fist, and launch it at Jean’s face. It made contact with flesh, and Levi saw Jean’s head fling to the side, an arm coming up to cradle his bruised cheek. There was a resounding “Ohhh…” coming from the others, and Levi thought they were instigators.

“Here we go again,” Furlan mumbled as he rubbed his forehead. Levi ignored him, keeping a close eye on the fight as he saw Jean recover, a bright red blotch on his cheek and an angry look in his eyes. He roughly clenched Eren’s shirt just like the other had done earlier and aimed his other hand towards the brunette, looking to give him the same treatment.

Soon, the two boys were trading blows, their grunts of pain vibrating through the air. While it was going on, the onlookers either ignored them, encouraged them to continue, or yelled at them stop. Both boys ignored them, too focused on their opponent to pay any attention.

Levi, finally fed up with having to deal with this idiocy, decided to put a stop to it. He was sick of seeing this side of Eren, a brute who fought anyone who got on his nerves. When was Eren going to understand that not everybody was going to view the world like him? People believed in what they wanted, and Eren needed to accept that, even if it meant it was something he didn’t like.

He calmly walked towards the two fighting and heard the mumbling cease for a moment. Obviously, everybody knew about his strength and they knew that this fight was over. He stood in between the two and grabbed Eren’s hand, stopping his fist from making a dent on Jean’s face, and squeezed it with enough force to make Eren double over.

Sure that Eren was immobilized for the time being, Levi turned his attention towards Jean, who had a stupefied expression on his face. Staring boredly into the boy’s eyes, he swiftly kicked his leg back and used it to sweep Jean’s legs from under him. He let out a yell as he landed on his bottom to the floor.

Levi heard a few snickers and admitted that the other did look quite funny, rubbing his sore backside with a look of pain on his face. Now that both of them were taken care of, Levi let go of Eren’s hand, instead grasping the back of his shirt, dragging him away from his fallen opponent.

“Levi, let me go! I’m not finished with him yet!” Eren shouted as he grasped his wrist, trying to dislodge the appendage from his shirt. Levi ignored him and continued to walk, stopping only to gesture for Isabel and Furlan to follow him, before he opened the door and stepped outside into the cool air.

Once they were all outside, the door was closed and Levi led them further away from the cottage, wanting to put as much distance between them and the others as possible. They were all silent, with the exception of Eren, who was still struggling and shouting for him to be let go.

Now at a familiar cottage, Levi stopped and used his arm strength to toss Eren onto the ground, a sound of pain coming from his mouth. Levi crossed his arms, looking down at Eren expectantly. Said teen only glared up at him, and Levi tried his best to not express the hurt he felt at the hatred those eyes were showing him.

“What the hell was that for?! I didn’t need you to butt in like that!” Eren asked as he gingerly picked himself from the ground, dusting his pants. Levi raised an eyebrow, shocked that Eren was oblivious to what he was doing. Did he honestly not know what was going on?

“If I hadn’t done something, you and Jean would’ve been punished by Commander Shadis. You wouldn’t want that, would you?” he asked back, his fingers tapping on his arm. In all honesty, he wanted Eren to get punished. He needed to be taught a lesson and if it had to be by his hands, then so be it.

Eren looked away for a few seconds, and Levi took that as a no. Suddenly feeling very tired, he sighed and un-crossed his arms, letting them dangle at his sides. “What’s been going on with you, Eren?” he whispered. All he wanted was answers and he knew Isabel and Furlan wanted them as well. Eren’s attitude was driving them crazy with worry, yet apparently, Eren took no notice.

“What do you mean? I’m perfectly fine!” Eren answered. That was a total lie and Levi knew it. He had known Eren for about six years, and he had never seen Eren act so out of character like this. Something was definitely up, but his friend’s stubbornness was getting in the way.

“Bullshit! You think we’re stupid or what, Eren?! We all know something’s wrong with you and until you tell us, none of us are leaving!” Isabel spoke up as she glared at Eren. Levi nodded, agreeing that they needed to sort this situation out right now before their friendship would be ruined.

“Why do you want to know?! It doesn’t concern you anyway!” Eren retaliated. Levi could see that Eren was becoming frustrated again, but he couldn’t bring himself to care about the repercussions. This was far more important than the risk of causing a temper tantrum.

“Doesn’t concern us?! Are you kidding, Eren?! Do you have any idea what your actions are doing to us?!” Furlan asked from Levi’s left side. It was the first time Levi had heard his friend sound so upset, but at least this way Eren would realize that this wasn’t something petty.

Eren looked confused for a minute, so Isabel spoke up again. “Your mood swings have been making us feel like we’ve done something wrong. Do you even realize that when you ignore us, you’re actually just hurting us? Do you even think about the way we feel when we see you like this?” she asked all at once. Levi glanced her way and saw that Isabel’s eyes were glossy, a sign that tears were beginning to form.

It made Levi feel awful for her, since this had to do with her cousin. He was the last person she had left in this world, much like the rest of them. As much as she argued with him, Levi knew that Isabel cared a lot for Eren, looking up to him as a role model whom she could learn from. Having that person pretend you didn’t exist must’ve broken her in more ways than one.

Looking at Eren, he saw that the brunette had calmed down, looking at all three of them with equal amounts of hurt and confusion. “You hurt Levi, you know,” Isabel said as she looked at the ground, a few tears running down her cheeks.

In an instant, Eren looked startled and hurried forward, his hands coming up to grasp his arms, his eyes frantic. Levi stilled, astonished that Eren had reacted so frightened at the knowledge that he had hurt him. It warmed his heart to know that the old Eren was in there somewhere, he just needed to bring him out.

“Did I?! Where did I hurt you?! Are there any bruises?!” Eren asked hysterically. His eyes roamed over his body, and Levi felt a small blush dust his cheeks at the action. Having Eren this close to him was making his stomach churn and his heart beat erratically. Why was this happening now?

“You didn’t physically harm him, Eren,” Furlan cut in. At this, Eren looked at him with confused green eyes, and Levi let a sympathetic look grace his face. Oh, Eren. Clueless as always.

“Then how did I?” Eren asked as he stared between the two of them. Furlan hesitated for a moment, but composed himself. “Remember when you almost got into a fight a few days ago?” he asked instead. Eren looked thoughtful for a few minutes, but eventually nodded. “Yeah, but what about it?”

“Well, when Levi pulled you away from the other kid, you looked at him like you absolutely hated him. It was like you wanted to fight him, but then you pushed him away and just left us,” Furlan explained. Remembering that night, Levi looked down and felt his chest tighten in disappointment. That was something that he wished he could forget, but the memory was still freshly engraved into his mind.

“I-Is that true, Levi?” Eren asked after a beat of silence. His voice sounded so broken that Levi didn’t even want to look at his face, afraid that he would break down if he saw those teal eyes. He nodded, his eyes refusing to leave from their place on his shoes. “It’s true. The hate I saw in your eyes made me feel like I was nothing to you. I thought you despised me when I was only trying to help,” he answered.

He felt Eren’s hands tighten and he winced at the amount of strength, but didn’t open his mouth to tell Eren to stop. When he heard a choked sob, he lifted his head and saw Eren with his eyes tightly closed, a hurtful look on his face. His head was bowed, almost as if he was ashamed of his actions towards him and their other two friends.

“I’m so sorry, Levi. You too, guys. I never meant to hurt any of you, it’s just...I’m in a tough spot right now. I swear, the last thing I would ever want to do is hurt you,” Eren apologized, his voice painful to hear as he let go of Levi, moving away from them to sit on the front steps that led into their cottage. He buried his head into his hands, shaking his head in disbelief at his actions.

“We know you wouldn’t do that, Eren. But please, tell us what’s troubling you. We’re your family and we help each other,” Levi said as he slowly moved towards Eren, his steps cautious. He didn’t want to set Eren off again now that they were finally getting somewhere.

“Are you sure?” Eren asked worriedly. Behind him, Levi heard Isabel huff before her voice rang in the air. “You’re telling us and that’s final!” she demanded. Well, no use arguing with that tone. Apparently, Eren thought that as well since he fidgeted in his spot for a moment before he sighed, looking exhausted.

“It’s...Jean,” he began. Levi frowned in confusion and gazed behind him, hoping Isabel or Furlan could shed some light on the situation. Unfortunately, neither had any idea about where Eren was going with this. He turned back around, waiting for Eren to continue explaining.

“What about him?” Furlan spoke. Eren took a while to answer, and Levi was about to tell him to get a move on, but he stopped himself. Eren was finally talking to them again and he didn’t want to ruin it with his impatience. But he was dying to know what Eren’s problem with Jean was!

Sure, the other could be extremely annoying and sometimes self-centered, but Levi hadn’t seen Jean be over the top. He mostly stayed away from Eren, only butting heads when they saw each other during their breaks. So, if they hadn’t seen each other in a while, what was making Eren so aggressive towards him?

Thinking back to what had transpired earlier between the two, it suddenly dawned on Levi what could have caused Eren’s outburst. “Eren, is it because of what he said back there?” he asked. Eren’s narrowed eyes and clenched hands were enough of an answer for him.

Levi wanted to slap himself on the forehead, blaming himself for missing such an obvious clue. Eren had always had an admiration towards the men and women in the Survey Corps. He saw them as heroes, putting their lives in danger just so that they could have a fighting chance against the titans.

Their sacrifice pushed Eren to become a member as well, wanting to right their wrongs and make a better future for his loved ones. He stuck to his beliefs, going against anyone who mistreated those who fought so valiantly. Eren’s dedication to the Survey Corps was so strong that it only made sense for him to lash out when one questioned their actions.

“The awful things he’s said about them, claiming that they were too weak to survive and that they deserved to die just makes me so angry! How can he say that when they’re doing more than us to make humanity thrive again?!” Eren seethed as he clenched his hands into his pants, wrinkling the fabric.

“You can’t expect everyone else to think like you do, Eren. Life doesn’t work like that, as much as we want it to,” Furlan advised. He had a good point though, and as much as Levi wanted to come to Eren’s defense, he couldn’t. This was a lesson that Eren needed to learn and unlike him, Levi knew that not everybody was the same.

“But he should at least know to respect the dead! He’s basically spitting on their graves!” Eren argued, his eyes lifting to meet with Furlan’s. Wanting to calm Eren down, Levi placed a hand on his trembling shoulder, hoping that his touch would at least keep his friend from leaving them.

“As good intentioned as you are, Eren, you can’t force Jean to accept your views about the Survey Corps. He has to learn that on his own terms, and when he does, he’ll understand where you’re coming from,” he reasoned.

Eren sighed and slumped against one of the wooden pillars next to him, his eyes realizing the truth behind his words. “I know, Levi. But I can’t help but want to teach him a lesson!” he continued.

“So that’s why you’ve been acting so weird these past few weeks? Over some kid’s stupid opinion?” Isabel asked as she placed her hands on her hips, looking down at Eren. Her tone sounded disbelieving, but Levi knew for a fact that Eren wasn’t lying.

When Eren didn’t respond, Isabel relaxed and walked forward, sitting on Eren’s other side. She gazed at him and Levi saw the amount of love and gentleness she harbored. It was probably the first time he had seen her act like this towards Eren. It was a touching moment for all of them.

“You need to learn that not everyone needs your attention, Eren. Jean’s opinion shouldn’t matter to you because you know what you believe in. Let me ask you this, are Jean’s thoughts going to change yours?” she asked. Immediately, Eren shook his head, and Levi snorted at the action. It was endearing to see Eren so hypnotized by someone.

At this, Isabel smiled. “Then don’t think about it. Only worry about yourself and your beliefs, and you’ll be fine,” she said as she cuddled into Eren’s chest, her head snuggled under his chin. Eren looked startled, but eventually relaxed and allowed himself to enjoy the moment, since it most likely wouldn’t happen again.

Furlan soon joined them and sat down in front of Eren, placing a gentle hand on Eren’s leg as his way of showing support. Eren smiled at him and nodded, thanking Furlan for his touching action. Levi squeezed the brunette’s shoulder, making his friend focus on him.

Levi smiled at him, the worry in his eyes gone. “You’ve got us, Eren. We’ll always have each other’s back, so you don’t have to worry about being the odd one out,” he said as he laid his head on Eren’s shoulder, his hand wrapping around the brunette’s.

Levi heard Eren give a pleased sigh and all of the remaining tension disappeared from his body. He was happy that he had gotten his friend back. His reasonings may have been slightly childish, but that was just a part of growing up. Levi was positive that Eren just needed to grow up a bit more, but he would eventually understand where they were all coming from.

Eren would never be alone, that he was sure of. He had the support of Furlan, Isabel, and himself. They all thought the same way as Eren, and they would have his back if he was ever pushed into a corner. Now, in the future, Eren wouldn’t act like he had these past weeks, instead looking for them as backup, something that Levi would always be there for.

He made a mental reminder to have a little chat with Jean about knowing when to keep his big mouth shut.


	11. Six: Part One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s Eren’s first battle as part of the Survey Corps, but it doesn’t turn out in his favor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow! I’m already over 2k hits??? I honestly wasn’t expecting much out of this story, but thank you to everyone who has left kudos, comments, and has overall just made me feel like I’ve been doing a good thing with this story!
> 
> I’m trying to make these updates as satisfying as possible, and I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Remember to leave kudos and/or comments, which are greatly appreciated!
> 
> This is part one of, what I’m thinking, a really long chapter so hopefully none of you get confused on the next update. This, unlike last time, will switch between Eren and Levi’s POV, so I’ll let you know who’s perspective it’s in.
> 
> This part will be in Eren’s POV.
> 
> **Takes place once Eren, Levi, Furlan, and Isabel are now a part of the Survey Corps.**

Eren had no idea that he would be thrust into a battle so soon after joining the Survey Corps. Of course, he wasn’t naïve enough to believe that things would go according to plan. Nothing was set in stone when it came to living in a world such as this.

But, he was still surprised to come face to face with the Colossus Titan. It had appeared out of nowhere, literally coming up behind him while he was on top of the wall for routine weaponry check-ups. Its face still as skinless and ugly as he remembered those five or so years ago, when it had destroyed his village.

He had turned to look up at the titan, his green eyes meeting those of the giant. It was staring at him, beady eyes unblinking as steam poured from its body. Eren made a move to grab onto one of his blades, but before he could successfully pull it free, a huge gust of wind came out of nowhere and the sound of something breaking rang through the air.

 _‘Shit!’_ was the only thing Eren could think about as he and the rest of the recruits with him were blown away, only the quickness of using the 3DMG saving them from meeting their doom down below. Eren took a deep breath as he hung from the side of the wall, looking to make sure his companions were okay.

Seeing that none of them appeared to be injured, his attention was drawn to Connie, who had alerted them that the wall had been breached. Eren’s eyes widened and he looked to where Connie was, wanting to see the damage that the titan had caused. The breach wasn’t as big as the first time, but it was still possible for titans to come through and invade the town.

 _‘No,’_ Eren thought as he glared up at the wall, where on the other side, the titan was. _‘That won’t happen again! I won’t allow it!’_ he vowed as he grasped his blades, a look of pure hatred on his face. Ignoring the advice from his comrades to retreat back to HQ, Eren ran forward as much as he could before he used his 3DMG to fling himself on top of the wall.

Once there, he looked up and found himself next to the Colossus Titan, the giant looking at him with an almost bored expression. The lack of response from it angered Eren, and he growled low in his throat as he got into a battle stance, his posture stiff as a board.

“Remember me?” he ground out through his teeth, glaring at the titan. He didn’t wait for a response, not that he expected one, and began to run as fast as he could towards it, looking for an opening to attack. No matter the size or type, all titans had the same weakness.

Their neck.

He was about to launch himself at the giant, but it suddenly moved, its hand rearing back before it used its strength to try and push him away. He quickly escaped, launching a cable into the wall to steady himself as he pushed himself as far as he could from the titan. Its focus wasn’t on him anymore, rather on the many cannons that were situated on top of the wall.

It used its hand to crush and push them off, and Eren cursed at the apparent intellect this titan possessed. It somehow knew that those were weapons that could be used against it and eliminated them, something that a normal titan would never figure out. Maybe they were dealing with an abnormal of some kind?

However, it wasn’t the time to ponder that thought. Focusing on the task at hand, Eren used his other cable to grab onto the Colossus Titan’s flesh, trying to go for the least noticeable spot as possible. He wasn’t stupid enough to go after it head on, instead waiting for it to have its back turned so that he could get the upper hand.

Successfully using the cables as an anchor, he ran in giant leaps and jumped into the air, the wind blowing against his hair and face, cooling him from the harsh steam that was slowly disappearing. He positioned his blades like he had been trained to do and repositioned his cables to land on the titan’s meaty shoulder, the impact it made sounding like steel.

The titan stood still, its nape fully exposed. It didn’t try to brush him off, its large body facing forward as if he wasn’t even there. Eren didn’t have any objections to that. It just made this unexpected job even easier. Finally, he could kill the titan that had caused all of that destruction years ago. This titan had a hand in his mother’s unfortunate death.

With his eyes filled with hatred at the beast, Eren let out a battle cry as he neared the titan’s neck, his blades sharp and prepared to slice its nape, killing the monster with one hit. It would be his first kill, too! How awesome would it be to have his first kill be the titan that ruined his and so many others’ lives?

Feeling confident that this would be the end of the Colossus Titan, he was shocked when, as soon as he reached its nape, huge clusters of steam poured out from its body again, blocking his view and slightly burning him. He shielded his face and gritted his teeth, impatiently waiting for the steam to disappear so that he could finish the job.

He hadn’t expected for the titan to counter his attack with its steam, and he grudgingly admitted to himself that it was a good defense. Humans couldn’t withstand the heat from a titan, and if one got too close, they would be burned to death. Titans were immune to the effects, since the attack came from their own body. Some didn’t even feel anything like them, but there were others that were able to experience things like pain.

Squinting his eyes open, Eren could only see the endless clouds of steam engulfing him from every angle. He was mildly shocked that he hadn’t been burned to a crisp, especially since he was so close to the titan, but put that discovery at the back of his mind. Though he could withstand the slight burning sensation, he wasn’t so sure about his comrades. He suddenly felt relieved that Levi or his other friends weren’t here, since they would most likely be in danger.

That wasn’t to say that he himself wasn’t in danger, but the lives of his friends, especially Levi’s, were more important. As long as they weren’t on the front line, then he could have peace of mind.

When the steam didn’t look to be stopping any time soon, Eren used the handles on his blades to keep on moving, zooming past the dangerous gas to close in on his target. He didn’t see the titan anywhere, but since his cables were still lodged to the titan’s shoulder, he assumed that it was still in the same position.

Readying his blades once more, he pushed through and swung his weapons with all of the strength he could muster. When he didn’t feel flesh underneath his blades, he furrowed his brows and let out a confused noise from the back of his throat.

Had he somehow missed his target through all of that steam? How was that even possible? Even if the titan had moved from its previous position, it was still huge enough for him to feel something under his blades. Besides that, he would’ve felt his cables move if the titan had decided to change its position. There was no way that the titan could’ve moved fast enough in that short amount of time.

When the sky finally cleared, Eren’s eyes widened when he didn’t see the titan in front of him anymore. He had expected to see the titan right there, but it had completely disappeared, the only evidence that it had been standing in front of him being the breach in the wall and large footprints below. Other than that, nothing else signaled its appearance.

It was just like the first time he had seen it. The titan was there one minute, and gone the next! In both occurrences, the titan had disappeared after it released that cloud of steam from its body. After that, no trace would be found, like if it had never existed.

Now that his cables weren’t latched onto something, Eren felt himself falling and quickly came out of his thoughts, securing himself to the side of the wall facing the outside world. He glanced around him, checking to see if any trace of the titan had been left behind, but he found none.

“Eren!” a voice called out to him from up above. He looked up and saw one of his fellow comrades, Thomas, with his blades ready for an attack. He didn’t appear to be injured, but he looked a bit frightened and anxious. Eren guessed it was because of the fact that he had seen the Colossus Titan so close up.

“What happened to that bastard titan? Did you get rid of it?” he asked as he looked at him. Eren clenched his hands around his handles and narrowed his eyes. “No!” he answered. He looked down again, glaring at the footprints left behind by the titan. It was weird that there were only those two footprints right beside the wall and not anywhere else. It really was like the titan had appeared out of thin air.

“That titan got away somehow! I don’t know how it was able to do that so quickly!” he explained. His eyes shone in rage at the knowledge that, once again, that titan was somewhere out there. If it came back after these past five years, then what was to say that it wouldn’t do it again soon? If only he had completed the job quicker, then this wouldn’t be a problem anymore!

Eren was brought out of his self-loathing when he heard Thomas order everyone to immediately head back to HQ before anything else happened. The destruction to the wall was a huge concern and since all other soldiers were at their base, they needed to inform everyone of what had happened. Although, judging by the soldiers coming their way, it seemed like they had easily seen what went down.

Someone, probably a veteran, immediately swooped down, his eyes taking in the situation. Eren, now that he was on top of the wall, could see that he was trying to stay calm, but beads of sweat were forming at the base of his hairline, giving away his true emotions. “You all need to head back to HQ right this instant! Since you all saw what occurred, you need to inform the rest so that we can take action,” he ordered.

Eren, as well as the others, saluted the man and took off, cables flying everywhere as far as they could reach so that the journey wouldn’t take long. Looking down, Eren saw as the citizens ran towards the other end of the village, their frightened screams echoing in his ears. That was him five years ago, scared and running to safety.

Hoping that they would all get out safely, he looked back up ahead, refusing to lose sight of HQ or his comrades. “We can’t worry about the Colossus Titan anymore. We have even bigger problems coming our way,” Thomas announced from in front of him. His eyes were focused, but his form was trembling.

“Yeah, no doubt about that. Now that the wall is breached, nothing’s stopping those titans from coming in and destroying this town! It’ll be just like five years ago all over again!” Connie shakingly added. Eren swallowed nervously at the news, though he expected it to be said. If they didn’t take care of the wall somehow, then everyone residing here would die. Every man, woman and child would be devoured by the titans, and then they would get even closer in exterminating humanity.

“Then we’ve got to do everything we can to prevent that from happening!” he said determinedly, refusing to give up until the very end. This was why he joined the Survey Corps, wasn’t it? He wanted to fight and kill titans, saving the lives of innocent people that didn’t do anything wrong. Why should they suffer this horrible fate, when it was the titans who caused all of this?

It didn’t take long before Eren and the rest of them arrived at HQ. They didn’t get too far inside the building before they were bombarded by other soldiers, frantically asked about what had happened and what they had seen. Once they all answered their questions, another captain that had arrived ordered them all to set up and prepare to participate in combat.

Eren didn’t waste any time and pushed the others out of his way, some of them yelling after him while others ignored his actions. He knew that the news would spread like wildfire, and sure enough, as he kept running, he heard orders being given to get everything ready, be it cannons, gas tanks, or anything else usable against the titans that would be sure to come.

Eren ignored them all, getting the gist of what he was supposed to do. As important as this situation was, he needed to find Levi and his other two friends and make sure they were safe. Although they weren’t with him out there when he faced the Colossus Titan, he was still afraid that they could have been in the way when the wall was breached.

As he neared a passageway that led into four different directions, Eren saw a body come out from the right, running towards the other end of the hallway. Seeing the raven-black hair styled in an undercut and red scarf around a pale neck made Eren sigh in relief. He had found Levi.

The other boy didn’t seem to notice him as he continued running, his steel blue eyes looking worried. Eren huffed as he tried to catch his breath before he called out, “Levi!” as loud as he could. Immediately, his friend stopped and whipped his head around to face in his direction.

His eyes landed on him and Eren saw Levi sigh in relief, his posture relaxing slightly. Now, Levi ran towards him and once in front of him, his brown jacket was held in pale hands. Eren let his friend examine him while he did the same, both looking for any injuries.

When Eren didn’t find any, he willed himself to relax as best he could. It felt like a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders now knowing that Levi wasn’t hurt. He would never forgive himself if Levi was injured because he didn’t take care of the titan like he needed to. Levi may be one of the strongest soldiers in the whole branch, but he was still prone to injuries like everyone else.

Levi, apparently finished with his examination, looked up at him, but his eyes froze on the side of his neck and cheek. “Why is your skin red?” he asked carefully. He looked at the burns as if they had personally offended him, and Eren mentally chuckled at the face his friend was making.

Ah, Levi, still protective as ever.

Eren smiled a little and shrugged it off like it was no big deal. He didn’t even feel the burns from the steam, probably because he was too focused on everything else. But now, he admitted that they did sting a bit, but not as much as they could have. Eren just felt lucky that it wasn’t anything worse.

Levi looked at him skeptically and raised his right hand, edging closer to his marked skin. His pale fingers ghosted over the burn on his neck and it caused a small shiver to pass through Eren’s body. Although he was sure that Levi didn’t mean anything by it, it still affected him in ways he didn’t want to admit. Levi never touched him, but he could still feel his warmth from this close.

Trying to prevent the small blush from dusting his cheeks, Eren gently grasped Levi’s wrist in his larger hand, stopping his friend’s ministrations. Levi looked at him with a raised eyebrow, confused about his action, but didn’t pull away.

“It’s nothing I can’t handle, Levi. Besides, we have more important things to do right now,” he reassured, the last sentence coming off as completely serious. Levi hesitated, but eventually nodded and allowed Eren to pull his hand away from the burns.

“Fine. But once this is over, I’m going to bandage those up. I don’t want you to have those exposed,” he answered just as seriously. Eren rolled his eyes at Levi’s behavior, but nodded just to end the conversation. He didn’t miss the way he had said the beginning of the second sentence, which sounded hopeful.

As much as Eren wanted that statement to be true, he wasn’t stupid to believe that he’d come out of this unscarred. Anything could go wrong and if he messed up one little thing, it would be the end of him. But, he was determined to do things right and kill the titans, even if it meant that he had to sacrifice himself in some way.

“Where are Isabel and Furlan?” he asked as he looked around, finding it strange that his two friends weren’t with the raven. They were all usually attached to the hip whenever they didn’t have dire responsibilities.

“That’s where I was headed to now. They’re both in the supply room, getting things ready,” Levi answered, his eyes landing on the hallway he was previously in. “We better go and help them out, or at least get our gas tanks ready,” he added.

Eren nodded and followed after Levi, who began to jog towards their destination. They passed by other recruits, all of them looking like they would have a panic attack. However, neither stopped to reassure them, too busy with wanting to see their other two friends.

In front of him, Eren watched as Levi pushed open the door which led into the supply room, the darkness of it a great contrast to the sunlight from outside. It was huge, with the only sources of light being small candles or torches hung on the walls. The flames highlighted the nervous tension coming off from the recruits as they rushed about to prepare for their mission.

Off to the side, Eren heard a commander, whose name he didn’t bother to remember, bark out orders to the rest, trying to pump them up and give them confidence to go against the titans outside. Even Eren knew that it was a lost cause, since basically everyone here had never fought one of those giant monsters. They were referred to as recruits for a reason.

“There they are!” Levi said as he hurriedly went to the near end of the room. Eren immediately followed him, watching Levi’s back so that he wouldn’t lose him amidst the chaos. Sure enough, once they both had stopped, Eren saw Isabel and Furlan preparing the gas tanks and securing them on a beam, probably so that they would be taken upstairs.

They didn’t have their 3DMG strapped onto them, instead having it on the ground to replenish their gas. They probably didn’t need to, but it was better safe than sorry in this case. Eren immediately took his off and handed it to Furlan without saying a word, letting the dull blonde handle the task of filling his up.

“I wasn’t expecting something like this to happen so soon,” Isabel said as she continued to place the gas tanks on the beam. She didn’t look up at them, but Eren could tell from her body language that she was tense and a little bit frightened. Her fingers shook as she lifted a tank, so Levi wordlessly stepped in to help her.

“Nobody did. Especially by the same titan. Is it true that it just disappeared, leaving no trace of it behind?” Furlan asked, finally looking up towards Eren. Isabel followed suit, letting Levi handle the heavy gas tanks since he was obviously stronger than her. The raven continued to work, but Eren knew that he was also listening for his response.

“Yeah. I had that bastard, but right when I was about to kill it, it used its steam and vanished!” he recalled, his voice dropping into a growl. He would never live this down, even if they managed to kill it someday. All of this destruction happening outside was all his fault, and he failed to get rid of the threat.

“We’ll deal with the Colossus Titan later. Right now, our first priority is to get rid of the titans coming in and sealing that wall,” Isabel spoke up as she went back to work. Eren was surprised to hear his cousin sound so serious, since he was so used to her being cheerful and obnoxious at times.

“Isabel’s right. We’ll deal with one thing at a time. Saving these people is our goal, so we can’t think about the past,” Levi added as he stood up from his crouched position. He grabbed his gear and strapped it on as quickly as he could, prompting Eren and the rest to follow his example.

Once they were all geared up, Eren made sure they all followed the other recruits, who were headed outside to seek out further orders. Seeing the sun again after being in that dark room made Eren squint his eyes, but he adjusted to the lighting.

When everyone was outside, they all grouped together and waited as one of the higher ranking officials discussed with his companions. Eren took the time to look around, since he couldn’t do anything else, and saw not only members from the Survey Corps, but those belonging to the Garrison as well.

Would they aid them in handling the titans? It was a shocking turn of events, but Eren had doubts when it came to the other branch. After all, most of the members didn’t take their job seriously, opting to drink and chat around instead of actually doing their jobs to guard the wall from incoming titans.

He had the feeling that most of them were cowards, since they obviously declined joining the Survey Corps and were too dumb to be in the Military Police. It seemed like this was the only option they had, being part of a branch that stayed within the walls and lounged around all day, getting wasted and making a fool of themselves.

“Listen up, cadets!” the captain yelled out, making Eren jump slightly and face him. Apparently, he was too wrapped up in his thoughts. Mentally shaking his head, he cleared his mind and focused on the orders being given. His eyes shone in seriousness as he awaited for their orders.

“This is the first major attack against humanity in the past five years! I’m sure all of you remember what happened last time, and I’m sure none of you wish to see it again! Our goal here is to get rid of as many titans as possible and seal up the wall to prevent any more from coming in!” he spoke.

Eren saw flashbacks of what he had witnessed five years ago. The blood, breached wall, looming titans with the desire to devour them, it all led to the death of his mother. Her cries for him to stay alive was what drove him in life. The titans had ruined everything for him. If they didn’t exist, then humanity would prosper, no longer living like animals. He could have a happy life with Levi and his remaining family.

There was no way he was going to allow the same thing to happen today. He had lost too much, seen too much bloodshed. He wouldn’t lose any one else he cared about! If he did, he would surely go insane and end up getting himself killed.

“This will be our toughest mission yet, and some, if not most of you, won’t be coming back alive,” the captain continued, his voice blunt and emotionless. Eren heard a couple of the recruits murmur amongst themselves, some in fear while others in sadness. This wasn’t new information to him. He knew what the risks were and only a dumb individual would think that they wouldn’t experience death one way or another.

“However, sacrifices must be made in order for humanity to have a fighting chance! That is why you all are here today! Now, the Survey Corps will be joined by the Garrison for this mission, so at least we have more numbers and man-power,” he announced.

 _‘That’s if they don’t chicken out and leave us high and dry,’_ Eren thought darkly as he glared at some of the members of the other branch. He would always have a distaste for them because of their actions, or lack thereof.

“There will be three separate squads for this important mission. Since the Garrison’s in charge of guarding the walls, they will be on the front line, using whatever cannons we have left to shoot.”

Eren snorted, but nobody was paying attention to him so they didn’t hear. Using the cannons was a bit idiotic, but they had no other choice. It was clear that unless the cannons aimed for the titans’ napes, they would just jump back up and continue. However, it did buy them some time since it took a while until the titans were able to regenerate their lost appendages.

“You recruits will be on mid-guard, since you all should know how to take down a titan. It is your responsibility to cut them apart before they reach the rear and the people. You are to make sure that no civilians are left behind and get them to safety. You must hold the titans off until all citizens are evacuated.”

Eren clenched his hands into fists, eager to get this mission going. Although he wanted to go and kill the Colossus Titan, he would have to make due with the others. He couldn’t complain too much since he would at least get to kill some of the bastards. It would help his rage and taking his anger out on them would be great. However, he couldn’t get carried away or else he would make a mistake and get eaten.

“And finally, the elites from the Garrison will be on rear-guard. If by chance some titans manage to slip past your watch, they will take care of it. Just like mid-guard, they will also be on the lookout for any citizens wandering around. However, although the rear-guard is for the Garrison elites, some of you trainees will be placed in that squad based on your skill.”

Once finished, the captain was handed a small slip of paper for him to read off by one of his subordinates. Eren guessed that the paper held the names of those who were to be placed in the rear-guard with the other elites. Eren didn’t really pay attention to the captain as he called out the names, not that it mattered to him anyway, but his head snapped up when he heard the last two names on the list.

“Furlan Church and Levi Ackerman.”

Eren tensed and his eyes widened before he turned to his left, where his other friends were. Levi was noticeably shocked as his eyes were slightly wide and his lips parted, like he wanted to say something but nothing would come out. Furlan, who was beside the raven, swallowed nervously, but otherwise didn’t react. Isabel, though, looked to be the most caught off guard. Her eyes had bulged out of their sockets and she had a surprised look on her face.

She had more of a reaction to the news than the rest of them.

When the captain finished, he folded the paper and gave it back to his subordinate. He looked at them all one last time before he ordered them to get in their positions immediately, a stoic look on his aged face. Eren and the rest of the recruits saluted the captain before they all left to the front of the building.

Outside the doors, Eren could still hear the citizens screaming as they were led to safety, some bags left behind on the street. He stopped beside his friends, who were all looking forlorn and agitated. Whatever needed to be said had to be quick.

“How the hell can he place you two on rear-guard with the Garrison elites?!” Isabel questioned as she flailed her arms around. Eren moved away from her so that he wouldn’t get smacked in the face. The action would have been comical to him, but not in this situation.

“You heard the captain. It’s because of our skill. We were ranked in the top ten when training so it would only make sense,” Furlan easily explained, even if his voice wavered a bit. He was taking the news surprisingly well.

“But how will we protect each other when we’re separated?” she countered, a desperate look in her eyes. Eren knew that she was worried about their safety, both in regards to the titans and the other members of their squad. Like him, she didn’t trust the Garrison to do their job and most likely thought that they would make Furlan and Levi do all of the work.

“We can still do that, Isabel. Furlan and I will protect each other as much as we can while you and Eren do the same. It’s as close as we can get to actually being together,” Levi assured. Now that the shock had worn down from earlier, the raven now looked determined and as calm as he could be in this situation.

“But–” she continued to resist until Eren butted in, losing his patience. There were more important things they needed to focus on right now than some decision. “There’s nothing we can do about it, Isabel. What’s done is done and we can’t disobey orders,” he said. She wanted to argue with him, he knew it, but they were wasting valuable time. They were one of the last ones left and unless they wanted to get punished, they needed to leave.

“Levi and Furlan can take care of themselves and so can we. We just have to be careful,” he advised as calmly as he could. Isabel still looked unsure, but she wisely dropped the matter and fixed the blonde and raven with a stern look. She resembled his mother in a way whenever she did that.

“You two better watch out for each other. If either one of you turns up dead, I’ll bring you back just so I can kill you myself,” she threatened. Although it was inappropriate to do so, Eren found himself chuckling while Furlan and Levi nodded, the blonde looking scared by her words while Levi simply rolled his eyes.

“We need to go before we waste any more time,” Eren said as he readied his gear. His three friends nodded and they all copied his actions, giving each other one last look before they split into their designated pairs and flew to their areas. As Eren and Isabel flew away, the brunette found himself looking behind him, just to look at his two friends one final time. If things went south, he at least wanted to have every memory he could of his friends.

“Hopefully things go well for us,” Isabel prayed from beside him, her eyes shining with worry. Eren’s eyes softened at the image she made, which looked so much like a child. At this, Eren realized that they were all still kids. She was only about to be fifteen, same as Levi, while he was about to be sixteen. Furlan was the oldest of the four, but not by much.

When had they come to the point where they were sending children to fight the titans?

“As long as we do our part and don’t mess up, then we have a chance of surviving this,” he said determingly. He wished he could say that they would come out alive, but in this world, that was just something he couldn’t guarantee. Even if they did do everything perfectly, it would only take a second for things to turn upside down.

Isabel hummed as they joined with their other recruits, forming a group of five as they all stood on top of a house, watching as the cannons fired at the titans. Eren could see from his spot that some titans had already made their way inside, their tall statures a great contrast to their surroundings. Their faces were devoid of any human emotion, but their eyes held the hunger every titan felt.

As more and more continued to appear, Eren could feel his adrenaline pumping underneath his skin, just begging to be let out. He gripped his blades, watching with keen eyes as other members clashed with the titans, some succeeding with taking them down while others screamed in fright, caught within giant hands and being swallowed.

Blood was already being spilled and the red shade of it landed on the ground and rooftops, belonging to fallen comrades. At the sight of this, Eren’s anger grew and he couldn’t handle being still any longer. His mind was telling him to take action, asking why he was just standing there while others were being torn apart in front of him.

“We need to take action, now! Too many titans are getting through!” he ordered his other squad members. They all agreed, some looking like they would piss themselves, but they stood firm. They all began to make their move, jumping across rooftops instead of using their gear. None wanted to waste their gas in case they needed it later on.

There were titans nearing them on the left and they all took action, using their cables to launch themselves into the air. Eren, with the help of his expertise used in training, flew in between the buildings smoothly, his eyes trained on the targets, but also keeping watch of his surroundings just in case a titan suddenly popped up.

He neared one of the titans, using its slow reflexes to his advantage as he attached himself to its arm, twisting around until he was facing its back. He positioned his blades and, with the strength he was known for, swooped down at full speed and effectively cut through the titan’s nape, the piece of skin coming off as the titan fell to the ground with a loud thump.

Eren managed to get away just in time so that he wouldn’t get crushed by the dead weight and settled himself on a nearby rooftop, gazing at the titan he had just killed. He had actually done it! He got his very first kill and he didn’t mess it up. All of that extra training really paid off and he couldn’t be more ecstatic.

However, his job was far from finished. More titans were coming his way and it didn’t look like they were stopping any time soon. So, with the confidence of his first kill looming in the back of his mind, he charged and brawled with the other titans, his skill and speed allowing him to finish off some of them while his squad dealt with the rest.

So far, everything was going great, with no casualties befalling them as they continued to move from roof to roof. Eren’s blades were a bit bloody, but he rather enjoyed seeing them that way because it meant that he had been useful for something. He wasn’t weak like he was five years ago. Now, he could actually help.

That appreciation died down though when he took a look around and saw just how many titans were inside. Eren knew that there were too many for them to handle, and some of their comrades had already perished based on the dead bodies and blood surrounding him. It was strange that the soldiers on the front lines weren’t doing as much as he’d hoped.

Cannons were still firing, but titans kept on coming in. What they needed to do was seal that breach in the wall, but Eren didn’t have a clue how they would pull that off. He knew there was a giant rock somewhere, just the right size and shape to plug up the hole, but he didn’t have the slightest idea of how they would even be able to move it.

The situation was quickly getting out of hand as the titans grew in numbers, and Eren felt a spike of anxiousness deep in his gut. However, he couldn’t allow his emotions get in the way of his rationality. It would do nobody any good if he went in without a plan or back-up.

Eren also noticed how hardly any titans had come for them yet. It made him uneasy because he felt like they were planning something, as crazy as that may have sounded. It just felt wrong to him that they hadn’t run into a titan while they neared the wall, where they were coming in.

As Eren and his team neared a large building, something from its other side caught his attention and he squinted his eyes to catch a better glimpse of it. It was very subtle, but there was definitely movement coming from behind it. Eren saw a few bony fingers come out from the side and he mentally froze when he realized what was on the other side.

“Watch out!” he yelled in warning as he abruptly jumped up and flew to another rooftop just as the building in front of him collapsed. Apparently, the titan had gone through it, tired of waiting for its next meal, and made a move towards one of them.

A good distance away from the titan, Eren panted as he tried to calm his racing heart. He looked behind him to make sure his team was alright, and he was relieved when he saw them there, especially Isabel, who looked a little frazzled at what had just happened. But, as he did a mental count of the others, he noticed that there was one person missing.

When he realized who it was, he heard his teammate, Mina, gasp in fright as her eyes widened, staring at something behind him. The rest looked the same, trembling with tears building up in their eyes, and Eren knew that the sight he was about to see wasn’t going to be pretty.

With great reluctance, he turned around and his blood turned ice cold when he saw the titan that had attacked them. It was where it had been before, the remains of the building it had demolished gathered at its feet, but now, it had his missing comrade, Thomas, in its mouth.

The boy looked horrible, tears streaming down his face as his lower body wasn’t even visible anymore, clenched inside the titan’s mouth. Blood was sprouting from where giant teeth met flesh, and when the titan bit down, Thomas let out a scream of pain.

Eren trembled as he heard his friend cry out, wanting to cover his ears to spare himself from the horrible sounds of someone dying. However, the only thing he could do was watch as his friend was slowly chewed up and eventually swallowed, his outline seen in the titan’s throat as he went down into its stomach.

It was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop, but it only lasted a few seconds before Eren came back to his senses. He gripped his blades so tightly that his skin turned white and he screamed out in fury, launching his body to run towards the titan that had taken away his friend. His eyes were glazed over in rage and his mind went blank, the only thing he could think of being to kill the titan.

He ignored Isabel’s desperate cries of his name and pushed forward, leaving his team behind. He needed revenge against that titan. Thomas didn’t deserve to die, and yet, he was taken away before he could truly live. Eren wouldn’t let his friend die in vain. He would make sure to vanquish this titan as tribute to his fallen comrade.

At this point, Isabel was screaming out frantically, and Eren could make out that she was actually warning him about something, but he didn’t pay attention to what. As he neared the end of a rooftop, he jumped high so that he could land on the next one, but a sharp and sudden pain coming from his leg made him lose his balance and he skidded across the rooftop, wood breaking underneath him.

Now laying down, Eren could feel blood coming from his temple, probably because of the wood splintering underneath his head. But the worst pain of all came from his right leg, which he could feel was also bleeding. His eyes were dazed and his vision was blurry as he surveyed his surroundings.

His half-lidded eyes watched as his comrades went into battle, their screams echoing in his ears like a whistle. It made him cringe from the loudness of it, but he couldn’t do anything to block the noises out. Willing his head to cooperate, he looked down as far as he could to see why his leg was in so much pain.

When his vision cleared enough, he saw that what was once his leg was just a stump leaking blood all over the place. Everything below his knee was gone, and Eren sluggishly realized that what Isabel had been yelling was a warning of a titan below him.

Taking in the damage he had been subjected to, Eren sighed and fell limp on the rooftop, his energy draining along with his blood. He couldn’t move a muscle, what with his missing leg spewing his life force away. He felt himself losing touch with reality, preferring to succumb into the deep sleep that was calling out to him.

He vaguely heard Isabel scream, but he couldn’t bring himself to care what was going on. His irrationality cost him his leg, and in turn, he was dying. Was this how he was supposed to go? He didn’t even get through a single mission! Would he be forgotten just like the others who had died before him? Would he just be another body that would be dumped away?

It was sad, really. He didn’t even get to explore the outside world. He didn’t get to see what was called the ocean. He couldn’t experience the feeling of sand underneath his bare feet. He never got to see the mountains that Furlan had promised were outside waiting for him.

He failed in keeping his promise to his friends. Now, none of them would be able to see the outside world. Their dreams would be forgotten, pushed aside because of his rash decision. As his vision faded, Eren only prayed that his friends could find it in themselves to forgive him.

Eren finally closed his eyes, feeling content with sleeping his life away. It felt nice here, with nothing to bother him anymore. Soon, he wouldn’t be able to feel anything and then he could rest, hoping that the afterlife would treat him nicely.

“–EN! EREN! EREN!”

Isabel’s loud screams punctured through his skull, waking him up from his dream state. His eyes opened, but they were still a little unfocused. How long was he out for?

Hearing his cousin sound so upset and frightened caused him to be on alert. He had never heard Isabel sound so scared before and he felt the need to get rid of anyone or anything that made her sound like that. She should never feel this way, and it was his job to protect her.

“Isabel…” he called out softly, since he couldn’t make himself say it any louder. With strength that he didn’t even know he had, Eren willed his body to push himself up, his arms shaking as he righted himself into a sitting position. He was still in horrible pain, but he needed to make sure Isabel was safe.

He clenched his eyes shut as he fought through the pain, telling himself that if he didn’t act soon, Isabel would surely die. His cousin had seen him get his leg bitten off and collapse, so she must’ve thought that he had died. Now, she was probably in deep trouble, but she still called out to him, wanting him to come and save her.

And it wouldn’t end with her. If he didn’t get up and fight, then the titans’ next target would be Furlan and Levi. All of his friends would perish because he couldn’t do anything to help them. He was too weak to save them, just like he was too weak to save his mother five years ago.

 _‘No!’_ he thought determinedly as he used his hand to balance himself on the rooftop. He gripped the wood tightly so that he wouldn’t slip because of the blood, his blood, decorating it. He shuddered as he felt the pain travel up and down his leg, but that just pushed him harder.

He envisioned his friends being eaten, their screams piercing the air as their blood splattered all over the place. Their terrified faces as they came face to face with death, and Eren couldn’t do anything to stop it. He was just sitting there, helpless to save his friends. He couldn’t let that become a reality. He wouldn’t lose his friends, the only family he had left, to these titans.

With that in mind, Eren felt a burst of energy and he used his adrenaline to push himself up on his one remaining foot. He used his gear, feeling thankful that it hadn’t been damaged, to launch himself towards his cousin. He felt a pang of fear when he saw that Isabel was dangling above a titan’s open mouth, her struggles weakening as tears streamed down her face.

Eren watched in horror as she was dropped into its mouth and willed himself to move faster. His eyes were desperate to get her out of there. He would never forgive himself if Isabel died, and he was positive that he wouldn’t be able to face Furlan and Levi if it happened. They would surely blame him for her death and he would harbor that guilt forever.

It seemed that he still had a bit of luck when he realized that the titan moved so slowly compared to the others. It took its sweet time closing its mouth, and Eren had enough time to duck at the opening. He used one arm and his good leg to keep the titan’s jaws open while the other reached in to grab Isabel.

It smelled horrendous and he almost gagged, but he willed himself to keep his nausea at bay. He could feel the saliva collecting onto his palm, and it felt hot like steam. When he looked for his cousin, he found her slipping down the titan’s throat, her entire body lathered in saliva. She tried to grab onto something, but there was nothing sturdy she could hold.

Eren, afraid when she seemed to be getting further away, leaned forward as much as he could and just barely managed to take ahold of Isabel’s hand. She jumped, and when her eyes looked into his, he saw that she was still crying.

She seemed shocked for a moment, but then she began to cry even harder, a small grateful smile tugging at her lips. “Eren!” she said in relief. Eren felt a bit of tension leave him at catching her just in time, but when he found himself slipping, he panicked. If he didn’t get them out of here, then they would both be dead.

Squeezing Isabel’s hand, which must’ve hurt, he grit his teeth and used all of his willpower to pull her up. She attempted to help him by kicking her legs against the titan’s tongue, and it eventually allowed her to be at the opening of the mouth beside Eren.

Eren knew that if he went out first, the titan would immediately close its mouth and Isabel would be gone, losing a limb in the process. So, with the only plan he could come up with, he pulled harder and tossed Isabel out of the gaping mouth, the suddenness of his action making her yell. She hit the rooftop, but she didn’t injure herself, and eventually brought herself up to her knees.

Eren, assured that his cousin was out of harm's way, pushed himself out of the titan’s mouth. But, it seemed like his strength was vanishing, as he couldn’t seem to move that far. He winced when he came to his senses, looking down at his missing leg disdainfully. If he somehow managed to survive this, then he could kiss his days in the Survey Corps goodbye.

“Eren! Come on! Hurry up and take my hand! I’ll pull you out!” Isabel called out to him. He looked away from his missing appendage and saw her with her arm stretched out, a frantic look in her eyes. Her tears were diminishing, but occasional streaks still went down her rosy cheeks.

Eren nodded once and used his arm to push himself, his fingers stretching out as much as they could to grab onto Isabel’s. She moved closer, but even at the edge of the rooftop, she wasn’t close enough. The titan had moved away, putting some distance between it and the nearest building.

Eren grunted as he pushed forward more, his eyes narrowing with the effort it took to make himself move. He could feel himself getting weaker, but he willed himself to keep going. He had gone through too much to lose it all now. He wouldn’t leave his family behind!

“Eren, just a little closer!” Isabel encouraged. Her fingers twitched, but there wasn’t anything else she could do. Somehow, in all of the chaos, her gear had been disabled, rendering her powerless to use it. She either had to make it on foot or hitch a ride from someone else.

Through his blood-soaked hair, Eren’s eyes widened when he felt his hold on the titan slipping, its mouth closing very slowly. If he didn’t make his escape, then he would end up as titan lunch. He needed to get out, now!

 _‘Come on! Just a little more..!’_ he thought as he used his last available strength. Unfortunately, he couldn’t close the distance between him and Isabel, and felt the titan close its mouth even further. Isabel’s eyes became wide with panic and her tears fell down quicker, but there was nothing Eren could to to ease her worries.

It all happened so fast. One second, he was watching as Isabel cried, his hand reaching out towards her in a last ditch effort, and the next, he saw the titan close its mouth completely, which resulted in his arm also being chewed off. The additional pain he experienced just made his grip loosen completely and he had no strength in his body anymore.

He was going to be eaten, and he couldn’t fight this thing off any longer. He had failed in his promise to eradicate the titans, and he had left Isabel to witness his death. He vaguely wondered how Furlan and Levi would react to his passing, and hoped that neither of them would let their grief overtake them.

But, if he died, at least he would be able to see his mother again. He wished to thank her and apologize for his behavior towards her when she was only looking out for him. He would finally be able to make up for all of his past mistakes and look out for his friends until they joined him. Then, they would all be together again and be a family, just like he wanted.

Those peaceful hopes were the last thing he thought of before he felt himself slip away, the darkness beckoning him to follow it as his body traveled down into the titan’s stomach.


	12. Six: Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of course Levi knew that he could possibly lose one of his friends. And yet, why did it catch him off guard when it actually happened? Why did it feel like his heart had shattered? Maybe because the boy who held it had been taken away from him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the longest chapter I’ve ever written and I had some trouble writing it down, but I got it done! I’m surprised that it’s as long as it is, but hopefully it’s a good thing that I’m expanding my writing skills.
> 
> This is part two of who knows how many, and it will be in Levi’s POV this time. Remember to leave kudos and/or comments, please!

Levi landed on a nearby rooftop, watching with keen eyes as the titan fell in a heap of dead weight to the ground, never to stand again. This hadn’t been his first kill, but he still felt almost giddy at the fact that there was one less monster left in this world. He, as well as Furlan, had taken out many titans thanks to their skill.

A loud thump alerted him and he watched as Furlan took care of yet another titan, his blades a bit bloody. His were dirty as well, but he didn’t try to clean them because he knew they would just get dirty again. He couldn’t waste anymore time catering to his obsession.

“That seems to be the last of them. I think we’re fine for now,” Furlan said as he kept an eye out. Neither of them could afford to drop their guard. Some titans were sneaky, preferring to hide away and wait for one of them to make a move. Levi wasn’t about to let Furlan or himself fall into one of their traps.

Levi nodded and took the opportunity to look around, looking for any stray titans. He found none, but there were still many getting through the breach. Most of them stayed near the middle of town, busy with the mid-guard. There were still soldiers fighting them off, but not as much as when they had first started this mission.

Levi felt a pang in his chest as he watched some get eaten, and he kept looking around, hoping to see Eren and Isabel flying around somewhere. Even while he was busy slaughtering titans, in the back of his mind, he worried about his two friends. They could surely take care of themselves, but he couldn’t help but feel like something was wrong.

Growing up the way he did, he learned to trust his instincts. Right now, they were telling him that his friends needed his help and that he should go to them. But, he was needed here with the rear-guard and he couldn’t disobey orders. If he did, he would be punished or kicked out of the Survey Corps.

He was torn, but ultimately decided to stay and help out Furlan. He couldn’t abandon him at a time like this, especially when more and more titans reared their ugly heads. They, as well as the other elites, continued to take out the titans that had managed to get through the mid-guard. Levi was startled to find out that there were more titans than usual getting through, which meant that there were heavy casualties in the mid-guard.

When the last of them were taken out, Levi and Furlan were approached by one of the elites. “You two go and help out the mid-guard. We’ll be fine here,” he ordered. Levi thought it was peculiar of him to say that, but he wasn’t about to object.

The bell had sounded a while ago, signaling that the citizens had safely evacuated, so there was really no need for them to still be there. He knew that the others could handle the titans that wandered over, so he nodded and motioned for Furlan to follow him.

He and the blonde quickly made their way towards the action, only stopping to take on some titans that got in their way. Levi only had one mission in mind at the moment and that was to locate Eren and Isabel. If they all gathered, then maybe they could have a better chance at attacking the giant bastards.

However, he didn’t see any of the squads anywhere. He panicked for a few seconds, imagining the worst, but when Furlan announced that he saw a few heads on a building, he sighed in relief. The blonde took the lead and Levi followed closely behind, managing to arrive to the others without encountering a titan.

Levi looked at all of the faces, and felt a little disappointed when he didn’t see Eren or Isabel among them. He was about to ask if any of them had seen them, but Connie, apparently taking notice of them, ran up to him and looked to be in a state of panic.

Levi didn’t like that one bit.

“Thank god you’re both here! You’ve gotta talk to Isabel and snap her out of whatever trance she’s in!” he said. At the mention of his friend, Levi perked up, but the words the bald teen was saying made him deflate again. “What do you mean? Is she alright?” he asked worriedly.

Connie shook his head. “I don’t know! She won’t say anything and all she’s done is look out into space since I found her!” he informed. Imagining her in that state set Levi on edge. He had never heard Isabel acting like that in all of the time he had known her. Thinking about the girl that was always cheery and energetic being so still and unresponsive made his skin itch.

“Levi! She’s over here!” Furlan announced as he walked away from them, towards the other end of the rooftop. He stopped and crouched down in front of another person, this one having red hair. Levi gave Connie a thankful look before he quickly joined his friend, sitting on his knees next to him.

He took in Isabel’s hunched form and his eyebrows furrowed, a worried gleam in his eyes. Isabel’s hair shielded most of her face, but she was shaking and tear stains were visible on her cheeks. Levi didn’t like seeing her like this. It just didn’t suit her personality at all and he wanted so badly to bring back the old Isabel.

He and Furlan stayed quiet for a few minutes, looking at each other as if wondering what they could do. Finally, Furlan took the first step and gently nudged Isabel’s shoulder, causing her to jump. That response sure wasn’t a good sign.

“Isabel? It’s us, Furlan and Levi,” the blonde gently started. His eyes shone in worry too, and Levi felt bad for his friend. Like a lightning bolt, Isabel straightened up and her head sprang from its downward position. Her eyes made Levi’s blood freeze. 

The usual spark she possessed in those green orbs were gone, replaced by the look of death and sadness. They were glazed over, either by fear or something else. Tears flooded them, most cascading down her cheeks like rivers. Her nose was red, as well as her cheeks, and she looked incredibly young with the way she was acting.

She looked like she had seen the worst thing imaginable.

The pressure in Levi’s chest increased and he swallowed thickly, afraid of what Isabel had gone through. He looked around, hoping to see a head full of brown hair, and his breath caught in his throat when he didn’t see one. Why wasn’t Eren here, comforting Isabel like he should be?

He knew the answer, but he didn’t want believe it. No way did Eren suffer what he was thinking. That boy was too strong and determined to get eaten on his first mission. He had gone into this calmly, and Levi knew that he thought over everything. He would’ve never done anything irrational, especially with Isabel around.

“Isabel?” he asked timidly. His eyes landed on her smaller frame, looking directly into her eyes. He could see his reflection in her eyes, the same shade as Eren’s, and saw the pain in his own orbs. It was the first time he had seen himself look so distraught, and he still didn’t even know what happened.

“Where’s Eren?” he asked her. As soon as the words left his mouth, Isabel began to tremble and fresh tears gathered in her eyes. She clutched her head, as if she was in pain, but Levi knew that it wasn’t anything physical she was experiencing. This pain was emotional.

Isabel hiccuped, her tears preventing her from forming any coherent words. Furlan placed his hands on her shoulders, trying to comfort her as best he could. She sobbed, her body shaking with the force of them. Finally, after what seemed like forever, she managed to stutter, “I-I’m so sorry! I couldn’t do anything! He saved me, even after he...” she cut herself off, unable to say anything more.

Without her having to say the words, Levi knew what had happened to Eren. He reared back as if he had been shot and his eyes, which he tried to keep neutral and emotionless, watered and he squeezed them shut to prevent the tears. He wouldn’t allow himself to break down in front of the others. Isabel needed him to be strong.

He hung his head, trying to shield his face from view. Though he couldn’t show how he was feeling, his emotions were going haywire. How could this have happened? His worst nightmare had occurred and he couldn’t do anything to prevent it.

He had lost the one person who he couldn’t live without. The boy that held his heart, the one who taught him how to live again, was ripped away from him. He could feel his heart breaking and he squeezed his chest, trying to ease the pain. He felt so numb now.

The person that brought him so much happiness, gone from this world. Why did it have to be Eren? The brunette wanted to see the outside world, and he wouldn’t get to achieve his dreams. Such a kind soul, and yet he was ripped apart by those bastards.

Eren was _gone._

They wouldn’t have a future together outside the walls. He would never hear his soothing voice again, he wouldn’t experience the touch of warm skin, chasing away the monsters of his past with just a single touch of his hand. Those green eyes, so beautiful and full of ambition, would never open again. Levi would never get to experience the joy of hearing Eren laugh, the warm hugs the tall brunette would give him just a distant memory now.

It was happening all over again. How much more could he take before he broke down completely? How many loved ones would he lose before his heart would give out? First his mother, then Carla, and now Eren? Why was this happening to him?!

It was like he was back in that house, tied up with those awful kidnappers. The dead feeling inside of him grew as each moment ticked by. The hopelessness he felt, the will to keep on living, it was all deteriorating. Without Eren, how could he keep on going?

Was this the life he was meant to live? Was he meant to watch everyone he ever cared about be taken away from him? Maybe he was never meant to be saved in the first place. He cheated death, but in return, the ones who he loved were taken in his place. If he had known he would experience this much heartbreak, then he would have used that knife to end his life instead of one of his kidnappers.

With Eren gone, it was like a piece of himself was missing. Eren was his savior, the one he could always trust, but he wasn’t here anymore. He was in some titan’s stomach, along with the other soldiers that met the same fate.

This was Eren’s fault.

Why did he have to play the hero all those years ago? Why did he save him from that terrible fate? Couldn’t he have just left him there to rot? Levi would’ve much rather chosen that option, because then he wouldn’t have gotten close to anyone. He wouldn’t experience that emotional pain again if he had just shut everyone out.

But Eren, with his stupid smile and charming face, had broken down his walls and pulled him into his embrace. He had made Levi a part of a family again, something that he was sure he would never have again. Why did he make him so weak? Eren had caused all of this, and he hated him for it.

 _‘Eren, you idiot! How can you just leave us like that?! Do you think I can live without you?’_ Levi thought as he looked at the rooftop he was sitting on. He tried to calm himself down, but the emotions kept eating away at him. Could he live without Eren? Was such a thing even possible?

His senses slowly came back to him and he heard hiccups, causing him to shakily look up towards Isabel. The poor girl was still bawling her eyes out in Furlan’s arms, the blonde hugging her with his arms wrapped protectively around her shoulders.

What was he thinking? He still had Isabel and Furlan to look after! He may have lost Eren, but he stubbornly realized that this was just a part of life. Levi knew that the chances of them dying were pretty high, so it was obvious he needed to prepare for the sudden death of the one closest to him.

Eren had done what he could, and in the end, that was all Levi could’ve asked for. With Eren’s aid, at least there weren’t as many titans roaming around. That was a great accomplishment and Eren had done his hand in exterminating the beasts.

If Eren could see him now, having a mental breakdown, what would he say? The brunette would probably scold him for his behavior and encourage him to stand back up and fight. Levi cracked a smile at the thought, believing wholeheartedly that Eren would do just that. He didn’t like people giving up, especially when there were things that could still be done.

Eren’s gone, no doubt about that, but Levi still had the memories they shared. He knew that if he ever felt like breaking down again, he could think back and reflect on what Eren had taught him. If he died, he would truly lose everything of Eren he had left.

He had to keep on fighting, both for himself and his friends. He would keep Eren’s dream alive, and he would see the outside world, just for Eren. As he looked at his remaining family, Levi felt his protectiveness spike and his eyes shined again, though much less than they usually did.

He had already lost too many people, he would not lose Isabel or Furlan. It was his duty to protect them with his life, and he would do just that. No harm would befall them as long as he was still alive, that was a promise. He had incredible strength, being an Ackerman after all, and it was time he stopped moping around and use those attributes!

Sucking up the pain he was still feeling, Levi scooted closer towards his two grieving friends and placed a hand on each of their shoulders. They both looked at him in question, though Isabel still looked distraught. It would certainly take a long time until she could go back to the way she was.

“We can’t let our emotions get the best of us right now. We have to keep moving or things will get ugly,” he said matter-of-factly. He could hear the numbness in his voice and he flinched when he realized that he wasn’t doing as good as he hoped. He too would need time to handle Eren’s death, but they still had a mission to do.

“But Eren–” Isabel started as she looked at him with disbelieving eyes. She probably thought he would be more emotional about this, but he couldn’t break down in front of everyone. They saw him as somebody that kept his cool in even the most dire situations. If he let his emotions control him, then they would lose hope as well.

“He wouldn’t want you to cry, Isabel. Eren would want to see you get up and continue living on without him, don’t you think?” he interrupted her gently. She looked taken aback by his words, so he kept on going. Maybe this way, she could get her head back in the game.

“I thought you were the type of person that wouldn’t give up. I know Eren’s death is hard, but you need to be strong for him,” he continued, his own words making him feel more grounded. Isabel pondered over his words for a few seconds, but ultimately nodded and pushed herself away from Furlan’s hold.

She wiped her tears away with the sleeve of her jacket and stood up, her legs a bit wobbly. When she looked at him again, she was more composed, but the heartbreak was still there. Levi applauded her for her strength, since he knew how hard it was to accept your loved one’s death. If he was having trouble accepting it, then it must be even harder for Isabel. She witnessed the whole thing and that had surely been horrific.

Furlan stood up as well and he looked to be the most level-headed of the trio. He did look upset, but how could he not be? Levi knew that the blonde saw Eren as a brother and he was the first one to back Furlan up on the things he claimed to be outside the walls. It was the one thing that they had in common. To know that someone he had valued so much was gone must’ve been a soul-wrenching experience.

“Why are you all just standing around here?” Levi asked the rest of the recruits on the rooftop. During that entire conversation, no one had moved to attack, instead staying where they had been since he and Furlan had arrived. Now that he wasn’t overcome by grief, Levi noticed the grim faces of everyone.

They had all looked like they had given up, with faces showing the fear that had swamped them. Only a few were able to stay calm, those people being Annie, Reiner, Ymir, and Bertholdt. They too were like him, not expressing emotion, so it only made sense that they were the most put together.

“We’re almost out of gas…” Jean explained solemnly as he turned his back to everyone. Levi had never heard the other sound so defeated before. Had this mission really turned that bad to have the boy so distraught? “We need to refill our gas, but we can’t even get close to HQ.”

Levi was about to ask why, but when he looked at the building, he startlingly knew the answer. HQ was swarmed by titans, all trying to climb it and some succeeding. Most were still at the bottom, their heads looking up, waiting for somebody to fall so that they could have a snack.

 _‘So that’s where they’ve been,’_ Levi realized.

“Instead of the gas tanks being where they should be, the ones who were supposed to take them up left them inside,” Connie spoke up, his face sweating as he looked at the titan-infested building. “The other recruits locked themselves inside with the gas tanks, which is why the titans are trying to tear it down.”

Levi hummed in thought, gazing at the titans as they clumsily continued to climb the building. He was a little upset that the other recruits had abandoned their posts, but they were scared and they didn’t know what to do. It was obvious that they weren’t ready to handle being in the Survey Corps.

“We need to take those titans down if we want to get inside,” he said. Everyone, except the quiet foursome, looked at him like he had lost his mind. “EHHHH?!?! But if we try to do that, we’ll get killed! Don’t you see how many there are?!” Connie asked loudly.

“Levi’s right. Either way, we’ll die if we don’t do something. At least this way, we’ll have a chance of refilling our gas,” Furlan approved as he and Isabel came up behind him. Everyone was still shocked by his suggestion, unwilling to go through with it.

“Listen. We don’t have many options, so this is our best bet. If we pull this off, then we can continue fighting and complete this mission,” Levi said as he impatiently waited for the others to decide. The more time they wasted up here arguing, then the worst their chances would get.

“But won’t we die if we do that? I mean, that’s a risky plan,” Sasha said from the sidelines. She had a worried look in her eyes, but she didn’t seem to outright shun the plan.

“Why did any of you join the Survey Corps then? You knew that you were going to die, and yet you joined. Now, you’re backing out? You’re all just cowards then,” Levi insulted as he pushed past some of them, a disdainful look in his eyes. He couldn’t believe that these people were the ones he had trained with. They all seemed so confident before, but now they were acting like children.

Standing at the edge of the rooftop, he glanced at Jean, who hadn’t said a word. He had a contemplative look on his face. “What do you think, Jean?” he asked with a raised eyebrow. Jean called the shots with his squad, since he apparently was the leader. Anything he says goes.

Jean hesitated, but eventually cleared his throat to speak. “It’s got some serious risks, but it’s the only thing that we can come up with. I say we should go for it,” he approved as he continued to look at HQ slowly being demolished. The others shrieked and protested, and Levi had the urge to shut them all up with his blade.

“You can’t be serious, Jean!” Sasha exclaimed as she flailed her arms. She was downright hysterical at this point. Jean turned and gave her a fierce glare, effectively shutting her up. “Do you have a better plan?” he asked demandingly. When she and the others didn’t answer, he snorted humorlessly. “Didn’t think so.”

Jean turned back around and let out a tired sigh as he rubbed his temple. At this moment, Levi knew that none of them, if they survived, would ever the the same as when they started this journey. They weren’t even twenty and yet the things they had witnessed could last a lifetime. This was the life they chose and they had to endure it until the bitter end.

“We’re following Levi’s plan. Everyone, use what you have but don’t overexert yourself. Otherwise, you’ll be dead for sure,” Jean ordered as he pulled out his blades. The ones that were on board with the plan did the same while the others hesitated. They still wanted to argue, but they were outnumbered by a long shot. So, they reluctantly followed the others’ examples.

Levi glanced at Isabel and her broken gear before he said, “You’re staying up here, Isabel.” The girl frowned and made a move to object, but Levi leveled her with one of his strict glares, letting her know that his decision was final. She huffed and crossed her arms, but otherwise stayed put. If she had gone out there with that equipment, then she would’ve been easy prey and Levi would’ve lost another loved one.

“Alright. Let’s get this over with,” he said as he gripped his blades and glared at the titans. Without waiting for Jean’s order, he used his cables to fly through the air, keeping them lodged on buildings as he passed by them. He heard the others following him and readied his blades as he came near a titan.

It had its back facing him so it was easy to cut its nape, the body falling over in a heap of dead weight. As soon as that one had been taken care of, Levi focused on the others still roaming around. Furlan and the others were already doing their share, easily taking out the horde of titans in their way.

There were still many more to kill so Levi swiftly flew from one to another, using his quickness to cut apart their necks in a blur. Surprisingly, the plan was going well and no one had died yet. As the titans dropped one by one, however, it was getting quite difficult to maneuver around.

As Levi saw Sasha kill another titan in front of him, he felt his cables being pulled and realized that the titan falling was in his way. Because of the direction it was falling, the impact it made when it hit the ground caused him to be launched quite a way like a slingshot. He flew through the air until he felt himself falling.

He was dizzy, since he kept on spinning around, so he couldn’t properly use his cables to stabilize himself. He watched in a blur as the ground came closer and closer, but he luckily was headed for a fruit stand in the middle of the small passageway. He fell onto the tablecloth acting as a cover for the fruit and bounced, almost like a spring.

He fell to the ground on his stomach and groaned in slight pain, but overall felt thankful that he didn’t get seriously injured. Also, thanks to his rather smooth landing, his gear wasn’t damaged. He slowly rose himself up to his knees, his head telling him to take it slow, and prepared to shoot up into the air again, but the ground began to shake, accompanied by the loud thumps of footsteps.

Levi looked to one of the entrances into the alleyway and witnessed as a burly titan crushed some of the buildings in its way. Its mouth, neck, and parts of its chest were caked in blood, beady eyes staring at him hungrily as it took its time getting to him.

Levi gripped his blades tightly as he saw the danger. Judging by how long he flew for, he knew that he was quite far from HQ, meaning that his friends would probably miss him. They probably weren’t even paying attention to him, which made things even worse. It meant that he was all on his own.

That normally wouldn’t be a problem, but because it was an alleyway, he didn’t have that much leverage over the titan. It was incredibly dangerous for him to stay on the ground, but if he used his gear, the titan would take that as an invitation to attack. He didn’t have much room to flee without getting injured, so maybe it was best to get out of there and into an open space to properly use his gear.

Levi took a few steps back from the titan, and swallowed nervously when he made eye contact with it. Although he usually didn’t experience fear as much as the others, he couldn’t help but feel intimidated by the large beast. Looking at it from this angle made him feel vulnerable, much like when the Colossus Titan breached the wall five years ago. Now he fully understood what Eren meant when he said that they were being herded like cattle. It was like the titan was backing him into a corner.

As he tried to place as much distance between him and the titan, he looked back to make sure another one wasn’t behind him. That would certainly be a death sentence if he were to be trapped on both ends. He wondered where the others were, but he realized that they were probably too busy getting rid of the other titans to help him out.

Suddenly, the titan stopped in its tracks, almost like there was an invisible barrier holding it back. It didn’t move again, but it didn’t keep its eyes off him through it all. Levi cautiously froze, but his hold on the blades were still firm. This titan was planning something, that he was sure of. No titan, abnormal or not, stopped when it came to devouring its favorite meal.

Levi, about to ponder that thought further, jumped in fright when the titan gave an unsuspecting roar. It lunged at him, its arms stretched out to grab him. He quickly used his gear, the cables attaching to a building, to scurry away from the titan’s sudden attack. Levi felt his heart quicken as he got away, his eyes wide and his hands sweaty.

The titan landed on its stomach, giving out another roar when it realized its lunch got away. Levi made a move to put even more distance between them, but the titan stood up quickly, like it was working on auto-pilot, and swung one of its arms. It swatted at him like he was an annoying bug, and it managed to grab onto his cables. The strength of the titan caused his hold on the building to give out and he found himself crumbling onto the ground.

This time, there was no soft landing and he hissed in pain as his gear pushed against his hip. He was sure that he was going to get a bruise later on. He slowly sat up on his knees, his left arm feeling tingly since he managed to hit his elbow primarily on his way down. The appendage throbbed, but luckily, Levi didn’t think it was broken.

Hearing movement behind him, Levi turned around and saw the titan already on its feet again. How did it manage to get up so fast? Levi shakily got to his feet and glared up at the beast, refusing to show anymore weakness. He needed to be strong, that’s what Eren would have wanted.

The titan opened its mouth, showcasing its blood-soaked teeth and gums. Levi sneered in disgust, wanting so badly to kill this bastard once and for all. Maybe this was the titan that took Eren from him. It was a possibility and the thought made Levi hate the titans so much more. The fact that these monsters had the audacity to take such an important person in his life rubbed him the wrong way.

However, he couldn’t do much of anything since he was still recovering from his fall. His elbow was still shaky and his hip was starting to burn, a sign that he may have damaged it more than he thought. His blades were still on the ground, shattered into tiny pieces. Levi was just lucky that his gear still functioned properly.

With no other choice, Levi turned around and began to run as fast as he could. He just needed to get in the open, then he could use his other blades and cut the titan apart. He also needed to get back to his friends soon, hoping that they were all still alive and doing well on their own.

The titan didn’t rush, choosing to walk slowly like before. Its mouth was constantly opening, giving Levi even more of a view of nasty teeth and bloody gums. Levi shook his head, trying to focus on getting somewhere where he would be able to do something, but a loud rumbling sound made him stumble.

He regained his balance eventually, and when he looked to the other end of the alleyway, his heart dropped when he saw another titan come into view. It, just like the one behind him, crushed the buildings in its way and stepped over the rubble, allowing itself entry. Levi cursed his luck and slowly backed away again.

The newly-arrived titan kept its head down unlike the other. Its shaggy, long brown hair fell over its eyes, only allowing Levi to see its mouth, which had no lips or flesh, showcasing all of its teeth. Its ears were pointed, showing through its hair. Unlike the other titans he’d seen, Levi was shocked to find that this particular titan was actually pretty fit, with a lean build but perfectly proportioned muscles decorating its body.

Though mildly impressed, it also meant that Levi was in deep trouble. This titan could cause him more damage than the other, and if those two got ahold of him, then he would be taken apart before he even died. Their trembling footsteps quaked the earth, making Levi bend a bit so that he wouldn’t fall again.

He looked between the two titans, looking for a way to get out, but he couldn’t form a plan in his brain. He couldn’t just run through one, that would certainly get him killed. But, what else could he do? He was stuck between a rock and a hard place, and the only outcome he could think of was death.

 _‘Fight…’_ a voice echoed in his head, making him stop. He recognized that voice, the same one he had always loved to hear. That was Eren’s voice. The boy he had lost was calling out to him, even when he wasn’t there. But that wasn’t true! Whether living or not, Levi knew that Eren would always be right beside him. The brunette would lend him his strength, so that he could finish the job that he himself couldn’t.

 _‘I can’t give up. Eren wouldn’t want that from me,’_ Levi thought as he looked at the two titans again. Though the chances were slim, he would do everything in his power to come out on top. He wouldn’t, no, couldn’t die now! He needed to accomplish Eren’s dream! Isabel and Furlan were still here and they needed each other more than ever. No way he was going to abandon them, because if he did, then they would suffer the same fate.

Feeling adrenaline pump through his bloodstream, Levi narrowed his eyes and pulled out another blade from his hip compartment, his grip on the handle almost breaking it. The blade shined when the sun reflected off it, and Levi held it in front of him, aiming it at the titan behind him. Though the second titan was more of a threat, the first one would be easier to take out.

Their footsteps still rumbled and his body vibrated from the force of them, but he willed his body to stay focused. He looked into the titan’s eyes, his own shining with determination and strength. He gripped the blade even tighter, if that was even possible, and ground his teeth into a firm line.

Well, it was now or never.

 _‘This is for you, Eren!’_ Levi thought as he waited for the titan to make its move. His heart was thumping in his ears, blocking everything else out. His steel eyes bore into the titan, not once looking away. This titan was fast, he’d give it that, but he wasn’t going down without a damn good fight.

“Come on, you bastard!” he yelled as loud as he could. His voice echoed, putting even more power into his words. He braced himself, fully preparing to fight until the bitter end, when he felt the ground quake stronger than ever before. It was right behind him and the shakes caused him to fly into the air, his wide eyes looking down as he fell down again.

He fell a few feet away from where he originally was and he covered his head protectively so that the ground, with pieces in the air, wouldn’t hit him. He felt a few scrapes on his exposed hands, but otherwise there were no other injuries. He slowly opened his eyes as he felt the ground shake for who knows how long and hesitantly looked up, wondering what had happened a few seconds ago.

When his vision focused on the scene in front of him, his eyes widened and his breath caught in his throat. His heart started beating rapidly, and it felt like he was minutes away from passing out. There, where the titan had been not even a minute ago, stood the other that was behind him.

Its muscled form was steaming from its right arm as it almost glared at the fallen titan a few feet in front of it. Levi couldn’t tear his eyes away from the titan, its supposed actions seeming too unorthodox to be true. Could it be that this titan punched the other? It seemed like it, but that was extremely confusing to Levi.

Why on earth would a titan attack one of its own? Weren’t they all knowledgeable of other titans? And how come that titan didn’t try to eat him now that its apparent enemy was down? Through it all, the titan didn’t even spare a glance in his direction, almost like it didn’t even know he was there.

Was it possible that this titan didn’t have the same urges as its brethren? Levi had never heard of a titan showing no interest in devouring humans. Maybe this titan was something of an abnormal? To be quite honest, Levi didn’t care to find any answers at the moment. As strange as it was, he was thankful for the titan stepping in like it had. That titan saved his life.

The thunderous roar that the titan suddenly bellowed made Levi cover his ears, not used to hearing that kind of octave. He opened his eyes once his ears stopped ringing and heard the titan growl before it used its surprising speed to hover over the fallen one. Before Levi could even think about what it was going to do, the giant’s foot came crashing down onto the titan’s neck, the sound of flesh being ripped apart the only thing he could hear.

He laid there, frozen and wide-eyed as he watched the titan getting its head severed. The attacking titan’s growls permeated the air as it violently killed one of its own. Levi had never seen a titan act so brutal towards its own kind before, and it kind of fascinated him that this one apparently had a sort of distaste towards the others.

Levi, coming out of his stupor, sat up and quickly stood on his still trembling legs. It seemed like this titan would do his job for him, and it granted him a chance to escape. Turning around, he used his cables to lift in the air and flew away from the alleyway. His hold on his blades were not as strong as before, but if he was stopped by a titan, he could still kill it with relative ease.

Once far enough, he swung back around towards HQ, hoping that his friends were able to take out the lingering titans. As he passed the titan, he still expected it to try and attack him, but all it did was stare at him with those peculiar eyes. It was the first time he had seen the orbs, and through all of that hair, Levi could see how different this titan was.

Its eyes weren’t glazed over like the others. Instead, they were clear and focused, watching him intently as he got further and further away. It unnerved him, and Levi was the first to look away, keeping vigil in case other titans showed up. Although it was against protocol to leave a titan alive, something told him that he wouldn’t face any problems with this titan.

Ignoring the peculiar titan for now, Levi instead focused on getting back on the battlefield. As he neared HQ, he sighed in relief when he saw that the titans who had previously blocked their entry into the building were now lying on the ground, their napes cut apart. He used his keen eyesight to search for any of his friends, but didn’t see any of them.

They were probably already inside HQ, thinking of the next course of action they would take. Once he re-filled his gas, Levi was going to tell the others about the shaggy-haired titan that saved him, hoping that at least one of them would figure out what to do with it. Slowing down once he neared one of the broken windows of the building, Levi formed himself into a ball to protect himself against the shards of glass and swooped inside, keeping his balance so that he wouldn’t fall.

He already had enough injuries to worry about.

Pulling away his arms shielding his face, Levi looked around the room he was in and saw the rest of the recruits already getting themselves together. None of them had any injuries, and it appeared that they didn’t suffer any casualties.

Levi, seeing Furlan and Isabel over by a knocked over desk, slowly walked towards them, being mindful of the pieces of glass littering the floor. He watched as Furlan crouched down and tugged at something underneath the desk, grunting as he struggled to pull whatever it was free.

He was about to offer his help, but froze mid-step once he saw what Furlan was actually doing. There, under the desk, lay a dead recruit, his eyes open and lifeless with his mouth open. There was a hole on the back of his head and blood was pooled under him, some parts dry while others were still fresh.

Smelling the stench of copper left a bad taste in his mouth and Levi wrinkled his nose, looking away from the body. Next to the recruit was a gun with splotches of blood, which made Levi assume that the man had shot himself in the mouth. Apparently, he thought that he would get eaten by the titans so he used whatever control he had to take his own life.

“The bastard stopped mid-mission and just hid in here with a couple of other recruits. They left us out for dead,” Jean spoke up from his spot near the broken window. He had his arms crossed over his chest as he glared at the other recruits who were in charge of moving the gas tanks. Their forms were shaking from where they were sitting, their eyes shameful and glossy with tears.

Levi felt bad for them, but didn’t allow himself anymore time to waste. He left his two friends to finish whatever they were doing and moved to replenish his gas. He waited patiently as his gear finished filling up and the others did the same. They were all quiet, the only sounds being Furlan grunting with the dead body and the clanking of blades as they suited up once again.

Once Furlan was finished with the dead body, he helped Isabel with her ruined gear. Levi watched closely as the redhead was strapped with the recruit’s gear, realizing that it was what Furlan was doing all along. They were far from completing this mission and any spare resources were incredibly useful. It wasn’t like anyone else was going to use it anyway.

Now that they were all replenished and somewhat rested, they just had to think about what their next course of action would be. Titans were still coming in and they were nowhere near completing their mission. With so many of them wiped out, it would really take a miracle for them to get through this mess.

It was incredibly dangerous to go out there right now, seeing as a titan could appear at any moment, but they couldn’t stay in the room either. If they did, then titans would get drawn in and they would be trapped. A plan needed to be put into action immediately, but Levi didn’t know what they should do. He racked his brain for anything, but nothing popped up.

“What are we supposed to do now? Sure, we’ve got our gas refilled, but there are still too many titans around here for us to actually do anything,” Connie spoke up. Nobody answered him, preferring to keep quiet and think of something. It was a lost cause, really, but as of now, nothing else could be done.

“Well we certainly can’t just stay here. It’s only a matter of time before titans barge in again and make a feast out of us,” Marco said as he fiddled with his gear, his voice shaky as he wiped the sweat from his brow. He was standing next to Jean, never once leaving his side for even a second.

“So you expect us to go out there? If we go out there right now, titans will be nipping at our throats in no time. Besides, we’re completely outnumbered, since most of the others are dead in a titan’s stomach,” Ymir bluntly stated as she stared nonchalantly at the rest of them. She, compared to the others in their little group, was more level-headed and composed.

“I’m not saying that, per se. I just think that we need to formulate a plan of some sorts to get rid of the titans quicker,” Marco defended. Everyone brought up any ideas they had, but every single one was shot down, either because it was too risky, dangerous, or outright idiotic. They had spent enough time in the building and they weren’t even close to formulating a plan.

“I have an idea,” Levi interrupted the bickering teens, his voice immediately silencing them. They all laid their eyes on him, waiting for what he had to say. At this point, they would do anything to get out of this mess and survive to see another day.

Levi took a few moments to think over what he was about to say, debating on whether or not he should actually tell the rest of them. It was an incredibly risky plan, but what other choice did they have? Compared to the other ideas they had thought of, his would at least have a higher chance of succeeding.

Who knows how they would react to his idea, though. Maybe they would think he had lost his mind when he flew away earlier. Hell, even he was beginning to think he had knocked a few screws loose during that little altercation with the titan, but he knew that this was their best bet.

“Spit it out already, will you?!” Sasha demanded. Levi glared at her, effectively causing the girl to shut her mouth and curl in on herself a little. Levi looked away from her and passed his gaze to the group as a whole, hoping that they wouldn’t be so quick to shoot his idea down.

“Let’s use a titan to take care of the others,” he offered straightforwardly. Everyone was silent, their faces lax and their eyes wide as they stared at him as if he was actually being serious. Levi had the feeling that they just might put him down for the remainder of the mission. He already put them through one of his absurd plans before, after all.

“You want us to use a titan?! Have you lost your damn mind?!” Connie yelled as he clutched his head with both hands. Everyone else had similar reactions, but Levi stood firm. “I’m not crazy, Springer. This is the only chance we’ve got to get rid of those things,” he said calmly.

“But how can we control a titan when we have to worry about it trying to eat us?!” Isabel spoke up for the first time. Levi turned and gave her a look of reassurance, doing his best to calm her down. The last thing he wanted to do was stress her out, especially since she already witnessed something horrible.

“We’re not using an ordinary titan. There’s a specific one,” he said. Everyone still looked confused, so Levi decided that it would be better if he explained his reasoning. Maybe then they would be a bit more willing to go along with this.

“While you all were fighting against the titans outside this building, I was launched away by one as it was falling. I landed in an alleyway and a titan came out one side of it and tried to eat me,” he explained. He vaguely heard Isabel and Furlan’s sharp intake of breath, but paid them no mind as he continued his story.

“I was planning on exiting through the other end, but a second titan came through and I was trapped. I couldn’t use my gear since I didn’t have any leverage and I couldn’t just run underneath one of them in an attempt to escape,” he continued. As he talked, he gauged everyone’s reactions, and saw that they were all curious as to where he was going with his tale.

“I was going to use one of my blades against the first titan, fully prepared to fight, but then, the second titan stepped over me and actually punched the other,” he said. By now, the others were listening intently to him, their mouths occasionally opening as if they wanted to interject, but they wisely didn’t say a word.

“I watched as that titan absolutely destroyed the other. It continuously stomped on its neck, not stopping until the head was completely severed from its body and crushed,” he finished. He waited for his comrades to settle down, which took quite a bit of time on their part.

“So you’re saying a titan killed one of its own?” Jean asked. Levi nodded, his eyes serious as if to convey that he wasn’t lying. Jean seemed to accept his response and looked away, deep in thought. “Okay, so that titan killed the other, but how do we know that it won’t try to kill us too?” Sasha questioned.

“During that entire altercation, the titan didn’t make a single move towards me. It acted like I wasn’t even there, even when it had successfully killed the other. It could have used that moment to eat me, but it didn’t,” he answered. Sasha weighed his answer, nibbling at her bottom lip as she thought over everything he had just said.

“That titan, are you sure that we can use it to take out the other titans? I mean, one versus a whole army? That’s a pretty big risk,” Reiner asked doubtfully from the sidelines. Levi shrugged, unable to give a definite yes or no. The only way they would find out is if they tested it out.

“It’s worth a shot. Besides, that titan is extremely powerful. More than the average titan, at least. I’m sure that it, with us at its side, can handle the rest,” he assured. The blonde hummed, rubbing his chin as he contemplated, seeming to take interest in his idea.

As the others thought over their options, Levi waited impatiently for their decision. Already, he could hear the thumping of approaching titans. True, he didn’t necessarily have to make them agree with his plan, but he couldn’t go into this alone. That would surely get him killed and he didn’t want to leave this world yet. He had a mission to accomplish.

“I guess it wouldn’t hurt to go through with it,” Jean mumbled as he scratched his head. Everyone looked at him, and Levi perked up at the knowledge that at least someone agreed with him. “After all, if it wasn’t for Levi’s earlier plan, then we wouldn’t even be here,” he commented as he gazed at the raven.

The rest seemed reluctant to agree, but they had to know that they really didn’t have any other choice. They didn’t have any other ideas and it would certainly aid them in this mission if they could use a titan to their advantage. They honestly had nothing left to lose at this point.

“We’ll go through with your plan, Levi. You just have to tell us where this titan is,” Jean ordered as he pulled his blades out of their compartment. Levi nodded and watched as the rest followed orders, preparing to go out and search for this ally. The raven turned to address his two friends, who were still looking a bit worried.

“Are you two sure that you want to do this?” he asked. He wouldn’t be surprised if they said no. This plan was pretty far fetched, even if it did manage to work out in the end. The two nodded, their faces serious and trusting. “We trust your judgement, Levi. If you think this is our best bet, then we’ll be right there by your side,” Furlan said as he laid a hand on his shoulder, a comforting and reassuring gesture.

Beside the dull blonde, Isabel puffed out her chest and clenched her hands into fists. “And there’s no way we’re letting you do this alone! We’re family and we stick together, even if we might die,” she said with a fire in her eyes. Levi let a small smile grace his lips, feeling something warm inside his chest. He knew that his friends would have his back.

“Thanks, you guys,” he said sincerely as he turned around again. He drew forth his blades, his eyes hardening as he neared the window from where they had entered. Everyone was grouped together, their gears ready and eyes focused.

“What does this titan look like, Levi?” Marco asked from in front of him. The freckled boy gave him a sideway glance, focusing on both him and the view in front of him. Levi dug deep into his memory, trying to bring forth every feature of the titan that had saved his life.

“It was about fifteen meters tall and had a muscular build with long, shaggy brown hair that met its shoulders. Its ears were pointy, with green eyes and no skin where its mouth is,” he described accurately. Marco’s eyebrows lifted, seemingly shocked at the picture his description made.

“Wow. That titan is definitely different from the others,” he said as he turned away. Levi absedently nodded, his eyes cloudy as he thought back on the titan. He didn’t know why, but there was something about that titan that was familiar. He didn’t understand, since he was positive he had never seen that titan before. He would’ve remembered.

“All of us need to look for that titan. We’ll stay together, but still be spread out enough to have a look out in all directions,” Jean started as he gazed at all of them. He looked like a true leader and Levi knew that the other teen would surely be promoted to Captain sooner or later. Jean just had that skill to placate the others and still be commanding when he needed to be.

“If one of you find it, just shout–” he continued, but was suddenly interrupted by the loud crumbling sound of stone. Levi shielded his face from the debris as the others cried out in alarm. They all took a few steps back from the incident, trying to put as much distance between them and the unknown danger.

“What the hell was that?!” Reiner shouted as some began to cough, the smell of stone and dust clouding their senses. Nobody bothered to answer the blonde, trying to clear their lungs and see through the debris the impact created.

Once their sight was recovered and they could properly breathe again, they looked up and saw that their entrance and exit were broken down by the titans that now stood in their way. There were two of them, both able to look inside because of the size of the hole they had made to the building.

Their blank eyes looked at them, pupils dilated in hunger and their mouths were slightly open, showing their disgusting teeth coated in saliva. Levi swallowed thickly at the sight, feeling disgusted at being so close to one of those monsters.

Their exit strategy had been compromised, and they couldn’t use any other escape. There were too many of them and they all couldn’t use the other window. It would surely result in casualties and Levi would prefer it if none of his comrades died. He already lost one, he didn’t want to suffer through that again.

“Crap! What do we do now?!” Connie asked hysterically. Levi didn’t know how to answer that, and apparently, no one else did either. They all just stood there, frozen and helpless as the titans continued to stare at them with unblinking eyes. In no time, many more titans would come and then they would truly be in deep trouble.

Levi gripped his blades tightly, internally screaming at himself for his role in their current predicament. If only he had told the rest of his plan earlier, they wouldn’t be in this mess! Instead, he dragged it on and put them all at risk by not telling them sooner. This was his fault and their deaths would be in his conscience. Their blood would be on his hands.

He should have lead the titan here to act as a barrier. He thought about it as he was leaving, but he never acted on it. He could have used that titan as a shield against the others and it would have bought them some time to come up with another plan to seal the wall. If only he had trusted his gut and followed his instincts!

“Everyone! Get out of here, now!” Jean urgently ordered as he tried to usher the rest of them away. By now, one of the titans was trying to reach inside with its meaty hand to grab one of them. Levi tried to use his blades to cut apart its fingers, but Isabel’s hand on his arm stopped him. He looked back at her, but she merely shook her head with a terrified look on her face and began to pull him away from the looming titans.

Levi tried to pull away from her grip, but she held on tightly and pulled harder. Unable to free himself, Levi instead tried to plant his feet firmly on the ground and swung his blades when the titan’s hand came too close. He was able to cut one finger off and the titan pulled back, but there was no sound of pain.

The digit landed on the floorboard with a wet splash and the copper liquid oozed out of it, painting the ground red. Levi made a disgusted noise in the back of his throat and kicked it away, unable to stand the sight of the appendage so close to him.

The titan, already regenerating its lost body part, leaned in again. This time, the titan beside it moved in closer as well, both trying their hardest to catch at least one of them. Isabel pulled harder on his arm and this time, Levi had no choice but to follow her. She wasn’t going to let go and it was dangerous to stay in that room any longer.

Just as Levi approached the door, the others already ahead of him, he heard a loud and ferocious roar outside and froze. He knew that roar, as crazy as it may sound. Even though he only heard it once before, its octave was incredibly familiar to him.

He turned back, awaiting the arrival of another titan, and his eyes widened as he saw the sight before him. Isabel and Furlan joined him, confused about his sudden stop, and their gazes looked similar to the raven between them.

The two titans, still attempting to reach inside, had their heads smashed to the side by another hand, which was formed into a tight fist. The impact was so loud and strong that it caused the two titans to fly away, their faces permanently dented by the arrival of the new titan.

A loud crashing noise sounded and the titan that had attacked its two brethren ran after them, letting out another beastly roar. Levi managed to pull his arm free from Isabel’s hold, the girl too shocked to do anything. He ran towards the broken opening and peeked his head outside, looking to the side and catching sight of a titan with brown hair and pointy ears.

Levi had never been so happy to see a titan in his entire life. He sighed in relief, grateful that the titan had managed to follow him and take out the other two just as they were going to attack. This strange titan had saved his life twice already, and there was no telling what else it could achieve.

Its strength amazed Levi on a whole new level as well. He had seen titans big in size, but never as powerful as this one. Unlike the others, it seemed like this titan knew what it was doing. It wasn’t targeting him or his friends, rather it was attacking those like it. Levi, as he watched the titan rip apart the two laying on the ground, thought that perhaps this titan had the same views as him and the rest of humanity.

As the two lay dead, with their heads also severed like the first, more and more titans began to appear. They were drawn to that titan somehow, either that or the smell of human. Neither really mattered, the only important thing being that they would be surrounded by titans in no time.

Levi didn’t move a single inch as he witnessed the muscled titan attack one of its smaller companions, kicking it away like it was a ball. It was sort of comical to Levi to see a titan hurled away like that, but he didn’t dare laugh. His friends would really think he was crazy.

“What’s going on out there?!” Reiner called out as he and the rest of the squad came back in, their bodies all crowded by the door. Levi took his eyes off the titan and answered, “That’s the titan we’re looking for! It’s outside fighting the others!”

All at once, everyone pushed through the opening to try and get a view of the mysterious titan. The sudden commotion almost made Levi fall out of the building, but Furlan and Isabel’s grip on the back of his shirt pulled him back safely.

“Well I’ll be damned…” Ymir whispered as she gazed at the beast, her eyes wide with surprise. It was the first time Levi had seen the girl with that emotion on her face. The others shared her sentiment, looking shocked and intrigued at the same time.

“It’s absolutely destroying the others. It doesn’t even look tired!” Sasha exclaimed in wonderment. Levi, not being able to see the action as clearly as before because of the people in his way, pushed some away from him with his arms, causing them to yell at him in bewilderment.

“If you all want to see it without pushing each other off first, then just get to another rooftop,” he advised before he swung his cables into a nearby house. He flew through the air, being mindful of the lingering titans, and landed on another building that was part of HQ. He pulled out his blades, just in case a titan decided to surprise him.

He heard Jean order them all up top and in a matter of seconds, Levi heard the clang of the maneuvering gear and the footfalls of the others landing behind him. Furlan and Isabel immediately stood by his side, blades ready and eyes following the shaggy-haired titan’s movements.

Said titan was busy with another, both being around the same height as they wrestled. The mysterious titan roared loudly, clamping its hands around the other’s neck and swinging it around until it threw it in another building. The structure collapsed, the titan crumbling on top of it and wiggling around to try and stand up again.

However, it didn’t get far because its neck was broken by the titan’s fist, making an audible crunching sound as it shattered into tiny pieces. Steam poured out of the titan’s hand, but in a matter of seconds, the appendage was reformed and didn’t appear to have a single scratch.

“I’ve never seen a titan like that one before,” Marco said as he watched the battle. “You got that right. We didn’t even have to look for it. How did it know where we were?” Connie asked as he looked at the freckled boy. Marco shrugged, unsure how to answer that question.

“It saw me,” Levi said as he turned away from the fighting titan. Everyone looked at him in confusion, unable to comprehend what he was saying. “After it saved me, I was heading here to check on you all to see if you were able to get rid of the titans. While I was leaving, I noticed that it was watching me. It must have followed me here and when it saw the other titans, it attacked,” he elaborated.

“That explains that. But how is it able to handle all of those titans on its own?” Jean asked. Levi could tell that the teen, as well as everyone else, was mostly curious about the new titan. “I’ve told you before. It’s stronger than the rest, so it should be able to take care of the others without us interfering. In fact, we shouldn’t get involved unless we really have to,” Levi answered seriously.

It wasn’t the best idea to charge in right now. There were too many things going on and Levi didn’t want to get in that titan’s way. It may not have any interest in them, but if one of them got in the line of fire, then something bad was sure to happen. It was probably best for them to stay put and assess the situation. If, and only if, the titan was in danger of being killed, then they would interfere. They needed it to take out the other titans.

“He’s stronger all right, but each titan loses its energy at some point. By the looks of it, I’d say that the titan is almost at its breaking point,” Reiner said as he pointed in front of him, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. Levi frowned and turned around, watching as the titan was beginning to slow down and become sluggish.

Steam was coming out of its wounds, which were all centered around its torso and arms. Its eyes glowed a vibrant green and its mouth opened in a snarl, letting out growls and roars. A small class titan was latched onto one of its legs, biting and tearing apart its flesh. The titan couldn’t shake it off, too busy dealing with the others grabbing it and tearing away at its skin.

“Wait, they’re eating it?! Why would they eat one of their own?!” Sasha asked. Levi, sensing the danger, was about to jump off the building and aid the titan, but a blade being placed in front of him stopped him in his tracks. He looked at the hand holding the weapon and stared up its owner, coming face to face with Jean.

“What the hell are you doing? We need that titan!” he demanded as he tried to move around the teen. Jean blocked his path again and Levi snarled at him, hoping his demeanor would intimidate the other enough for him to make an escape. However, the teen didn’t budge, his face stoic and eyes narrowed.

“It’s too dangerous for you to go, Levi. One wrong move and you’ll be in a titan’s stomach,” he warned. Levi shook his head, refusing to let that titan die when it was their only hope of getting out of this mess. “I can handle a few titans! I’m not stupid enough to get caught in the middle of that. I just need to kill a few so that they don’t overwhelm the other!” he said.

Still, even with that reassurance, Jean shook his head. He still wasn’t letting him go, and Levi’s eyes narrowed as well in frustration. “Jean! We need to keep that titan alive! Its our best bet to get out of this. Or do you want us to die?” he asked accusingly as he stood tall and met the other’s gaze.

“Of course not, Levi! But I’m not letting one of our best soldiers get himself killed for a titan that might not even be worth it!” Jean explained as he lowered his blade. “If it wasn’t for that titan, then we would all be dead anyway! It hasn’t done anything to make us question its actions and if we can use it, then that’ll help us in the long run!” Levi defended in a snappy tone.

Jean opened his mouth to argue, but Isabel’s voice shook them out of their squabble. “Look! The titan’s still fighting!” she announced. Levi turned away from Jean and looked to where the titan was. Sure enough, even with both of its arms and part of its leg missing, the titan was able to kick the smaller ones out of its way.

It stepped forward on unsteady legs and used its head to hit one of the other titans in its stomach, making it hunch over. Now defenseless, the titan leaned forward and opened its mouth, sharp teeth digging into the exposed nape of its opponent. It bit down harshly, blood seeping out of the broken skin.

Once deep enough, the titan pulled back until most of the neck was gone, the titan’s head only hanging on by a strip of skin. The titan spit out the flesh in its mouth and let its opponent fall before it focused on another that reached for it. Lifting one of its legs, the titan aimed a strong kick to the titan’s neck, the impact able to knock its head off swiftly.

The head flew through the air at rapid speed, crashing through a building a few feet away. Now headless, the titan’s body collapsed next to the other. A smaller titan ran forward, its unproportioned face wobbling from side to side as it approached. A foot was lodged into its mouth forcefully, and soon, it ripped through the titan’s jaw and knocked part of its head off.

The foot was removed and as the titan fell, it came down and snapped the titan’s neck before it could regenerate. The small body oozed blood, coating the ground with the thick liquid. Now that all of its opponents were defeated, the titan roared, but it sounded to Levi like it was in pain. All of its wounds created steam and it wobbled on its legs, letting out one final roar before it collapsed to its knees.

Levi and the rest watched as the titan fell on its stomach, unmoving even as its body produced even more steam. “I guess it couldn’t handle the strain anymore,” Furlan whispered as he watched with wide eyes as steam came from the titan’s neck. “Yeah, but why is the steam coming from its neck? None of the others did the same, right?” Isabel asked.

Nobody answered her, too entranced by the titan that had single-handedly defeated every single one of its opponents. There weren’t any other titans in sight, so at least they didn’t have to worry about another attack. Still, now that they had lost what they were looking for, they were back to square one. They couldn’t use the titan anymore, for obvious reasons, so they had to come up with another plan.

“Well, that’s a total bummer,” Sasha pouted as she crossed her arms. “Yeah, sure. Let’s get out of here before more titans decide to show up,” Connie said as he turned to leave. Others slowly began to follow his lead, taking one last look at the carnage left behind. Levi, however, stayed back with Furlan and Isabel, unable to tear his eyes away from the titan.

Even more steam was escaping from the titan’s body and Levi narrowed his eyes to get a closer look. Something was moving on the titan’s nape, like a bug under a patch of skin. It kept moving, but nothing came out of it.

 _‘What the hell?’_ he thought.

Suddenly, the titan’s nape ripped open and Levi cringed at the sound it made. More wiggling could be seen, but now that it wasn’t covered by skin, Levi could easily tell that a body of some sorts was there. The raven’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, not expecting to see something like that come out of that titan.

But, as he stared closer at the body, his eyes widened and his breathing stopped. His holds on his blades loosened, almost falling from his hands. He heard Isabel and Furlan’s sharp intake of breath, their bodies tensed up like never before. Everyone else called out to them, confused about why they hadn’t left yet. Some footsteps came up behind them, but Levi ignored them.

The body on the titan’s nape sat up, the tendons attached to it stretching until they snapped. Now that it wasn’t connected to the titan anymore, the body leaned back and almost collapsed if tendons still weren’t attached to its legs.

Levi roamed his eyes over the body, his eyes unblinking. That tan skin, lean but strong build, brown hair that was shorter than the one on the titan, were all attributes of only one teen that Levi knew.

_Eren._

His friend, the only boy that had such a strong effect on him, the one who he would do anything for.

_The boy he thought he had lost!_

“Holy shit! Is that…?” Connie whispered in shock. Levi ignored his outburst and, uncaring if there may be more titans around, used his gear to swing himself quickly towards the ground, his eyes not once leaving the teen still attached to the titan’s body.

Once secured, Levi placed his blades back inside the compartment and ran at full speed, the only thing on his mind being the fact that Eren was right in front of him. He could care less that it was Eren who controlled that titan, he didn’t care that the boy he cared for so deeply was the thing that he hated, the only thing worthy of his attention being that Eren was _alive._

Climbing on top of the titan’s body, which was still producing steam, Levi fell to his knees, ignoring the slight burning sensation. He reached forward, catching Eren, who was still unconscious, in his arms and pulling him to lean on his chest. Since Eren was taller than him, his head was leaned forward and tucked into the raven’s neck, the warm sensation of his skin making Levi’s heart beat like crazy.

 _‘His heart!’_ Levi thought frantically as he pulled away, which was a hard task. What good would it be to find Eren but have him be dead in his arms? That would surely break him. Fate was indeed cruel if he was given Eren back, only for him to be gone forever anyway.

Urgently, Levi pulled Eren up until he could lean down and place his ear on the left side of Eren’s chest. His arms still wrapped around the brunette’s torso, Levi allowed himself to enjoy the feeling of Eren’s body against his own before he focused on hearing for his heart, praying to any god that might hear to give him this one wish.

It took a few minutes, probably because he was still panicking, but when he heard the familiar _th-thump, th-thump, th-thump_ beating against his ear, he felt his own organ accelerating. He held onto Eren as tightly as he could, and against his wishes, he felt his eyes getting moist.

Although he didn’t want the others to see him break down, he couldn’t help the tears that escaped his eyes. He sobbed, his cries sounding so loud in comparison to the stillness surrounding him. He removed his ear from Eren’s chest and caressed the side of Eren’s neck, the sensation of soft hair ticking his cheek something he thought he would never feel again.

He continued to cry, his emotions controlling him and ignoring the possible dangers that lurked in every corner. He didn’t bother to focus on anything else. How could he think of anything other than the boy in his arms? The boy he loved was still here, and Levi felt so thankful that he was given another chance.

Eren was the best thing that ever happened to him, and there was no way he was going to lose him again. The pain was too much to handle and if he had to do the impossible to keep Eren by his side, then so be it. He didn’t want to experience that pain again, it was just too much. Not even his mother’s death made him lose himself quite like this.

As he inhaled the scent that was so distinctly Eren, he vowed to himself that no matter what the consequences were, he would not let someone steal Eren from him again. They belonged at each other’s side. They were friends, family, each other’s last saving grace.

Levi had made his own family after so long. Isabel, Furlan, Eren, they were all a part of him and he wasn’t going to let anything take his family away. He was nothing without them in his life. His drive would cease to exist if he lost them for good. He was a shell of his former self without them by his side.

_He was nothing without Eren._


	13. Six: Part Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What the hell had happened to cause all of this chaos? One minute, he was in a titan’s stomach and the next, he was sitting on the ground, with his friends surrounding him and other soldiers yelling at him. Why were they calling him a monster? He wasn’t a monster, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone and I introduce to you another update! This one is incredibly short compared to my last one, but it’s still over 5k words so hopefully no one is too disappointed.
> 
> I apologize in advance if this chapter is a bit boring. I was actually planning on making this update longer, but then I wouldn’t be able to post it on time. School is starting this Wednesday so I have to finish reading my summer assignment and get things in order.
> 
> Because I’m going back to school (I’m gonna be a senior! Give myself a pat on the back for that one! :)) I probably won’t be able to update like I usually do, so don’t worry if you don’t hear from me as often. Rest assured that I’m still writing for this story and I’m not planning on abandoning it.
> 
> Now that all the boring stuff is over, on with the story! This is part three of this chapter and its in Eren’s POV.

_The only thing he could feel was pain._

_It was everywhere, from the top of his head to the tips of his toes. It was like a blanket, covering him until there wasn’t a part of his body that wasn’t encased in that hellish sensation. Why was he hurting so much? Wasn’t he supposed to be dead? Could you still feel pain in the afterlife?_

_A groan escaped his lips as he shut his eyes even tighter, wishing for the pain to go away. Couldn’t he die in peace? Was that too much to ask for? Apparently it was since he was still experiencing the worst pain imaginable._

_He took his time getting his bearings, never once opening his eyes. He made use of his other senses, taking a deep breath and he almost immediately choked. He began to cough, the sound echoing and adding an eerie effect to whatever was happening._

_Why did it smell like copper so much? It was like he was surrounded by the foul stench. He couldn’t breathe in without inhaling that smell, and he was sure he would throw up soon if he didn’t get far away from that odor. How was it possible for it to stink so bad?_

_Now fully aware, he slowly opened his eyes, letting his vision come back to him. He was expecting to see a vast land of nothingness when he woke up again, but instead, all he saw was a lake of red liquid, encased within a rather large bubble._

_He frowned, confused about where he was exactly. He thought for a few minutes, trying to put all of the missing pieces together. Let’s see, what was the last thing he could remember? He remembered that the wall was breached by the Colossus Titan, which led to the mission of eliminating the titans coming inside and finding some way to seal up the hole._

_He was with Isabel and the rest of his squad, taking down titans left and right, when he saw Thomas get eaten. Charging in a fit of rage, something that he cursed himself for, he remembered getting his leg bitten off. After that, the memories began to get a little fuzzy, most likely because he was losing so much blood._

_But, he vividly recalled Isabel almost being eaten, which led to him diving inside the titan’s mouth and rescuing her just in time. But, he wasn’t very lucky since he got trapped inside and his arm was bitten off. Hold on a minute…_

_Did that mean he was inside the titan’s stomach?!_

_He looked around, suddenly understanding that the red liquid was the blood of other soldiers participating in this mission. That also meant that the stumps he was seeing were people, their limbs missing and bodies cut in half._

_His breathing became erratic and his eyes darted around wildly, trying to make sense of the entire situation. He wasn’t dead! Somehow, he was still alive! But how would he even be able to get out of here?! He was missing an arm and a leg, and the only way for him to escape would be when the titan regurgitated whatever it had once it got too full._

_He didn’t want to be in this disgusting place more than he had to. He needed to get back out there somehow, but he was stuck in the pool of blood. The stench was becoming stronger now that he wasn’t unconscious, and he breathed in through his mouth to save himself from the smell._

_Why was he even still alive? He lost two limbs in less than five minutes, and that would surely lead to death for anyone. Why was he spared from going to the afterlife? Was he not ready to leave this world yet? Did he still have a purpose? If he did, it was going to be very difficult to achieve it without his body intact._

_He wondered how his friends were doing out there. He hoped they were alright, especially Isabel. She had been the one to witness his demise, and the horrified look in her eyes was enough to make him sure of the fact that she would never be the same. She wouldn’t be the same girl he had known for so long._

_A wet coughing sound echoed inside the large organ and Eren tensed, unsure where it was coming from. He looked around, trying to see through the darkness, and saw a small figure in the distance. Only the head was visible, but he could easily tell that it was a child, a little girl that looked no older than twelve years old._

_Eren was horrified at the sight of her, never once witnessing a child being eaten. He knew that there had to be some since children were more easy prey because of their smaller size. But he hadn’t thought about seeing a child swimming in this lake._

_Her soft and weak cries were torture for him to hear, but he didn’t have the strength to lift his one arm. She was obviously losing the battle, her sobs becoming weaker as time went on. He didn’t want to say something, afraid that he might scare her. Though, judging by what she had went through, he guessed that there was nothing scarier than what she had experienced._

_“Mommy...help me…” her tiny voice called out. He froze, eyes widening as her words registered in his brain. This little girl, after going through so much horror and pain, was calling out to her mother for comfort. He remembered doing the same to his own mother when he was a child, wanting her to make the pain disappear whenever he bruised his knee or cut himself._

_He missed her soothing words and warm hugs, promising to take his pain away. She always did and he regretted not appreciating her coddling. She kept him safe for so long, even when he didn’t want her to, and seeing this little girl want that comfort broke him on so many levels._

_“I’m scared...mommy...please…” she begged. Her cries sounded gurgled, and he watched on in horror as she was slowly sinking, the top of her head becoming less and less visible. The last thing he heard from her was a terrified whimper and then she was gone, somewhere in the lake of blood._

_He felt anger swell up inside of him at the sight of the little girl drowning. She was just a child! She didn’t even get to properly live her life! And yet, these monsters didn’t care one bit about who they were taking away. All they cared about was filling their stomachs with their bodies._

_Innocents were being ripped apart by these bastards without a second thought. Families were being separated, children taken away from their parents and suffering the pain of losing their loved ones in front of them. They were suffering the same fate he had been dealt with all those years ago._

_He remembered that day like it happened yesterday. What started out as a peaceful day for him and his friends turned into a nightmare. He witnessed his mother being eaten, her body torn in two as she was swallowed by the titan. Its grinning face was permanently etched into his brain, refusing to leave him alone._

_He lost his mother that day, the most important woman in his life. Levi lost yet another loved one, just over a year after his own mother was ripped away from him. Isabel and Furlan lost their mother figure, the one who treated them like they were her own children. They all felt the pain of losing a loved one by the hands of the titans._

_These titans tried to take him away from his friends, but they failed. They made his friends believe that he was gone, and they were most likely going to take them apart as well. They would feed off their pain and take advantage of their heartbreak, tearing them apart one by one until they would be inside a titan’s stomach, like he was now._

_He couldn’t let these monsters get their grubby hands on his friends. They were his family, the people he would do anything for without a second thought. He needed to protect them, no matter the cost to himself. He wouldn’t let the titans have them at their mercy. Just imagining his friends’ painful screams in his mind sent a fresh wave of rage over him, and the only thing he could think about was getting out and finding his friends._

_Who knew how much time had passed and the longer he stayed trapped here, then his friends’ lives were in more danger. He had to escape, just to make sure they were safe. They didn’t deserve to die like the rest of humanity. They would be the ones to eliminate the titans once and for all._

_He would be the one to kill them, every single one, until humanity could live in peace again. If it took his entire life to achieve that dream, then he would fight until the day he died. He would be the one to give humanity a fighting chance._

_Something inside of him quivered, growing by the second. He could feel his rage boil over, the visions of his friends dying by the titans’ hands making him think of nothing else other than the fact that he needed to kill them. They took his mother away, and now, they were planning on taking his friends away too!_

_No! He wouldn’t let them! He would slaughter them all before they would get the chance! They would all die by his hands, he’d make sure of it! When he was done with them, there would be none left! They would all be lifeless monsters, scattered on the ground at his feet._

_He would be victorious!_

_He felt the quivering inside him bubble over, his energy coming back at full force._

_After that, nothing._

****

The first thing he realized when he came to was the fact that he was held in someone’s arms. The hold was gentle yet protective, and he knew he was safe almost immediately. The second thing was that he was sitting on something solid and hard, nothing like the inside of that titan’s stomach.

Did that mean he was outside again? Did the titan finally regurgitate whatever it had inside of it? Or was he cut out when the titan was killed by a soldier? He didn’t care how he managed to escape, only feeling glad that he was in the open, where he could breathe in fresh air.

He heard loud noises surrounding him, people shouting over each other to be heard. They sounded frightened, but of what? Was a titan coming towards them? He didn’t feel the thundering footsteps though. But, in the midst of all the shouting going on, he could distinguish Isabel and Furlan’s voice as well.

Why were his two friends shouting? They didn’t sound scared, more like angry and defensive. All of the noise was bothering him and he squirmed, feeling his body move sluggishly across the ground. He felt so weak, but he didn’t know why.

“Eren?” a nearby voice asked. The arms around him shuffled before he was being pulled up to sit on his knees. “Eren? Can you hear me?” the voice asked again. He furrowed his brows, trying to distinguish that familiar voice. He knew the person calling out to him, but his memories were a bit all over the place.

“You need to wake up, Eren. I don’t know how much time we have left if you don’t explain what happened,” the person, definitely male, said. Whoever it was sounded worried, an edge to his voice like he was on the verge of panicking.

Reluctantly, he opened his eyes, his vision slightly blurry. There was a figure next to him, but he couldn’t tell who it was yet. He groaned as he waited for his vision to clear, the person beside him waiting patiently. Once his vision finally focused, he saw that it was actually Levi sitting next to him.

“Levi? What’s going on?” he asked groggily. His voice had a rough edge to it, probably because he hadn’t used it in a while. He saw Levi sigh in relief and a smile tug at his lips. The arms around him tightened a bit, but he didn’t object to the odd treatment.

“Thank god you’re awake. We were all worried when you didn’t wake up earlier,” Levi said as he helped him up into a proper position. His arms were wrapped around his shoulders loosely, just in case he lost his balance. The shouting, if possible, got even louder.

“It’s awake! Shoot it before it transforms again!” a man hollered from somewhere above them. Levi tensed beside him and scooted forward until he was directly in front of him, his body acting as a shield. Eren was getting even more confused, totally at a loss of what was going on.

“Levi? What’s happening? Who are they talking about?” he asked. The raven stopped glaring and turned to face him, a worried look in his eyes. “What’s the last thing you remember, Eren?” he replied. He frowned at the lack of answer, but tried to think about what he had experienced.

“I was in a titan’s stomach after saving Isabel. My arm was bitten off and I was missing my leg, so I couldn’t do anything. I was just laying there, in a pool of blood,” he answered honestly. Levi looked horrified, but he tried to compose himself quickly. He bit his bottom lip anxiously, a nervous habit.

“And after that?” he pressed. Eren mulled over his memories, trying to place them in the correct order. “I was telling myself that I would kill every single titan. It was after I heard a little girl calling out for her mother. Everything’s a blank after that,” he recalled, his anger slowly coming back at the thought of the girl.

He pushed his emotions away, feeling like it wasn’t the proper time to think about that. “Did someone cut me out or did that titan throw me up?” he asked instead. At this, Levi seemed to become a bit more nervous and he could feel his fingers tightening on his jacket.

“No one cut you out and that titan didn’t throw up. You got out on your own,” he said slowly. Eren frowned, his mind telling him that there was something he wasn’t being told. Levi looked way too out of it and the chaos around them was more than he had expected.

“How? I couldn’t even move since I don’t have an arm or leg any–” he started but cut himself off when he looked down at his body. His eyes widened in disbelief and he pulled away from Levi’s hold, marveling at himself. He lifted his arm, the one which had been bitten off, and wiggled his fingers.

He was now looking at his arm, the appendage that he had lost, and gazed at the now fully healed body part. It somehow regenerated itself, growing its missing part during his time out. Looking down at his leg, he found the same result, with everything below the knee healed as if nothing had happened.

His regenerated leg was exposed, no boot or pants to be seen. His arm was in the same state, the brown jacket and shirt he was wearing ripped at the point where he had been bitten. Other than that little note, it was like he had never been without them.

“H-How?” he shakily asked as he continued to stare at his body. Levi didn’t answer, staying as quiet as possible in the midst of all of the shouting going on around them. “How am I whole again? What happened to me?” he asked urgently, his eyes lifting to look at Levi’s face.

The raven looked like he would much rather answer any other question but the one he asked, and Eren suddenly thought that he most likely wouldn’t like the answer. “Step away from the suspect! We are prepared to shoot!” a demanding voice shouted from above.

Eren, finally sensing the potential danger, looked up and blanched at the intimidating sight in front of him. He was at HQ, backed into a corner, literally, while hundreds of members of both the Garrison and Survey Corps surrounded him from all sides. They were scattered all over the ground as well as the tops of the building.

They had their pistols trained on him, faces scrunched up in fear and anger. They glared at him as if he was a monster, just waiting to kill it without remorse. Eren tensed, confusion and fear swirling in his gut. Why were they threatening to shoot him? Did he disobey an order? It must have been a very bad decision if the end result would be him getting a bullet lodged in his skull.

“For the last time, we’re not going anywhere! You can’t make us leave!” Isabel’s shrill yell replied to the officer. Eren could tell that she was losing her patience, her body coiled, just waiting to attack. Furlan looked to be in the same predicament, his eyes hard and grip on his blades tightening by the minute.

“If you don’t move this instant, then we’ll have no choice but to remove you from the Survey Corps!” the man threatened. Furlan growled in response, unfazed by the possibility of being thrown out. “We don’t give a crap! We’re not letting you hurt Eren!” he defended.

Another soldier, one of the more fearful ones, shook as he yelled, “How can you defend that monster?! Didn’t you see what he turned into?!” he asked. Still, Isabel and Furlan stood firm, unflinching from the pistols aimed at all of them.

 _‘Turned into? What the hell is he talking about?’_ Eren thought as he watched the altercation. He turned to Levi, silently begging him to fill him in on the details. It was obvious that they wanted to kill him, but he still had no clue why. He was even more confused as the screaming progressed.

At his look, Levi finally relented and scooted closer, trying to keep as quiet as possible. “Eren, what I’m about to tell you might sound crazy, but you have to believe me, okay?” he pleaded. Eren hesitantly nodded, anxious to hear what his friend had to say.

“After you got eaten, all of us made a move to get into HQ, killing the titans surrounding it. I was flung away during the attack and managed to land in an alleyway, where a titan found me. It tried to eat me, but I managed to get away from it,” Levi began. Eren inhaled sharply when he heard that his friend was almost killed.

“But, before I could escape, a second titan blocked my exit, and I was trapped. I couldn’t get away and I was useless without my gear. I thought for sure that I was going to die,” he continued, his voice getting lower and lower as the story progressed.

Eren, meanwhile, was getting antsy as he sat there and listened. Just imagining Levi stuck in that position made his heart clench, unable to fathom the idea that he could’ve lost his closest friend today. But as much as he was invested in the story, what did any of this have to do with him?

“But then I thought of you,” he recalled, his face lifting to look into his eyes. Eren saw the happiness shining in them and the thankful smile on his lips. “I remembered what you told me all those years ago. You encouraged me to fight for my life, so I did. I was prepared to go against those titans, even without my gear to help me out.”

Levi took a deep breath, the story taking the breath out of him. “Before I could even begin to attack, the second titan did the job for me. It punched the other and absolutely demolished it until it was just a stump on the ground. And through it all, it never tried to eat me, and I was able to escape back to HQ,” he said.

Eren’s eyebrows rose in surprise at the revelation. Never once had he seen a titan attack its own kind before. It was unheard of for a titan to go against its brethren, and the fact that it ignored Levi when he was vulnerable was even more of a shock. He suddenly became very interested in looking for this titan. He wanted to see it up close, if it was still alive at least.

“This is the part where you’ll freak out, Eren, so try to stay calm,” Levi warned. Eren nodded once, eager to hear the end. “When I arrived at HQ, we all made a plan to use that titan to our advantage. We were just about to leave and look for it, but the titans cornered us and we couldn’t escape. We had to look for another exit, but they were already reaching in to grab us,” the raven explained.

Eren tried his best to keep his mouth shut, not wanting to interrupt. “Luckily, we were all safe because that same titan from before appeared again, knocking the other two out of the way. After that, we all saw as it killed the rest gathered around the building, even when it was being eaten. Its arms and parts of its chest and legs were gone, but it managed to get rid of the last few titans.”

 _‘Wow! A titan that could still fight even with its limbs severed? And why would the titans eat it? They don’t do that either,’_ Eren wondered. “After the fight, it collapsed and steam started to pour out of its wounds, but also its neck,” by now, Levi’s voice choked a bit and he swallowed, looking at the ground under him.

“Something came out of its neck, a body actually,” he said. Eren felt his blood freeze, astounded by the information. Somebody came out of a titan? How was that even possible?! “That body was you, Eren. You were that titan…” Levi finished with a whisper.

Eren felt like a bucket of ice cold water was dumped all over him. His eyes widened, unblinking as he stared at Levi in front of him. He shook his head slowly, refusing to believe what his friend was telling him. This has to be some sort of sick prank or something. How could he, a human, turn into a titan?!

He opened his mouth to object Levi’s statement, and possibly yell at him for making something of this magnitude up, but when he looked in Levi’s eyes, he saw nothing but honesty shining in them. Eren knew that his friend would never lie to him, especially about something this serious.

How could that be true though? He was human, wasn’t he? Transforming into a titan was not something that was possible! At least, that’s what he thought. If he could transform into a titan, how come he didn’t transform before? That should have happened at least once before, but he had no recollection of anything similar happening.

Hesitantly looking at his trembling hand, Eren saw his tan skin under the sun. His regenerated arm and leg were proof of Levi’s story. A titan, when injured, could heal any damaged limb or body part in a matter of seconds. When he was in that titan’s stomach, he wasn’t whole, but now, he was miraculously looking at his now healed limbs.

So that was why he was being ganged up on? The other soldiers saw him come out of that titan, and they assumed he was going to attack them next. No wonder they all looked like they would have a heart attack any minute. For over a century, humanity has lived peacefully inside the walls and realizing that there was one among them put them all on edge.

“They’ll kill me for sure,” he concluded, his eyes downcast. There was no way they would let him explain himself when even he didn’t know the answers. He didn’t remember anything about transforming into a titan. “I won’t let them hurt you,” Levi vowed seriously, his eyes dark. As if to prove his point, he pulled out his two blades from their compartment.

Eren opened his mouth to disagree, thinking that Levi was out of his mind, but his name being shouted drew his attention away. A rather old looking man, with heavy facial hair and terrified eyes, stood beside the many other soldiers, his face tense. Just like the rest, he looked at Eren as if he was the worst monster imaginable.

“Eren Yeager! You have committed the worst betrayal humanity has ever seen! Explain yourself or you will be shot without remorse! If you or your partners make even the slightest move that appears suspicious, I will have no issue in ordering your execution!” the captain of the Garrison ordered.

Beside him, Levi growled low in his throat, mumbling about him being too loud. Eren tried to form words, but nothing would escape him. He didn’t know what to say and he needed to be extremely careful about his words. If he said the wrong thing, then not only would he be killed, but his friends would be as well.

“We don’t have all day, Yeager! You’re only putting off your death for a short while!” the captain impatiently hollered. “Let him think for a minute! He’s just confused and he needs to get his memories straightened out!” Furlan defended, his mouth set in a snarl.

“Think about what? An excuse to save himself?! You all saw what we did, so why are you even defending him?! His kind kill people! He’s no better than the other titans!” the older man retaliated. His fear was clouding his judgement, and Eren didn’t know how long he had left until he ordered for shots to be fired.

Levi suddenly stood up and straightened his posture, refusing to look intimidated. “You don’t know a damn thing about him! You weren’t there when he attacked those other titans! If it weren’t for him, then we would all be dead!” the raven seethed.

Eren had never seen Levi this dangerous before. The smaller male was known to have a limited amount of patience, and it looked like he was on his last ounce of it. Eren needed to sort this situation out before Levi made a move, or else he would surely get himself killed. This was his mess, so he needed to own up to it and take responsibility.

“Don’t you realize that you’re protecting a titan, you fools?! When he transforms again, he’ll just kill us all anyway!” another random soldier butted in. “Eren’s a human just like the rest of us! Do you even hear yourselves?!” Isabel asked. Eren looked back and forth between his friends and the other soldiers.

He knew his friends meant well, but screaming at each other wasn’t the best option. Pistols and cannons were aiming at not only him now, but at his friends as well. If they somehow managed to get out of this mess alive, then his friends would be severely punished for their resistance.

He couldn’t let them endanger themselves for his sake. He was the one they were after, not them. It was he who could transform into a titan, and because of that, he was now an enemy to humanity. Eren knew for a fact that his friends would rather die than let him be wrongly accused, but he couldn’t risk their lives like that.

“He’s a titan, so that means he’s an enemy no matter what your affiliation with him is! Or am I wrong? Is Eren an enemy or an ally to humanity?” the captain directed towards him, his eyes glaring at him. Eren swallowed, feeling sweat accumulate on his forehead. This was his one and only chance to make them see that he wasn’t an enemy.

All his life, he wanted to free humanity from the confines of the walls. He wished to be free and explore the world waiting for them. The titans and their devious actions against them only strengthened his resolve, and in order for them to be free, they needed to disappear. He wanted to be the one to do that.

“I-I’m not a monster! I’m a human, and I want humanity to take back what was taken from them over a century ago! I’m not an enemy!” he blurted out. His voice was deep with conviction, eyes shining with as much honesty as he could muster. These people needed to believe him!

The captain didn’t reply, seemingly shocked by his outburst. He most likely didn’t expect for him to be so emotional about his declaration. Somewhere in the midst of all the soldiers, a loud scoff was heard. “If you’re not a threat, then explain why did you transform in the first place! Why now, when we have enough to worry about as it is?!” a female demanded.

“He doesn’t need to explain shit to you single-minded fools! You got your answer, so lay off!” Isabel snarled as she readied her blades, seemingly done with their rude accusations. Eren silently cursed her rambunctious attitude, but didn’t comment on it.

“Unfortunately, we can’t rely on your words! You are still a dangerous threat to us all, and you need to be taken down! Men, ready your weapons!” the captain exclaimed. In response, the soldiers that had their pistols cocked them and trained them on Eren, who was suddenly very anxious and fearful.

“You’re more than welcome to try,” Levi loudly said so that everyone could hear him. Eren didn’t even have time to ponder his friend’s words before he saw Levi walk forward until he was in front of him. His posture was straight and he had his blades positioned in front of him, ready to be used in a moment’s notice.

“But you’ll have to get through me first. I’m not letting any of you get your disgusting hands on Eren. I’m sure most of you know about my skills, but if you’d like a demonstration, I’d be more than willing to show you,” Levi threatened. His voice was as cold as ice, with hints of anger directed at the now fearful captain.

Eren sat there, staring at Levi’s back with wide eyes. His friend was willing to die for him without a second thought. How could he do that without even showing a hint of fear? It was like he had been prepared to die, just waiting for the right time.

Eren was just about to tell Levi to move, to stand down and just give up, but the raven interrupted him. “I lost him once, and I won’t go through that again. If you kill him, then you’ll have no choice but to kill me too,” he added, voice unwavering.

Eren now closed his mouth and thought over Levi’s words. Not once did he think about the pain he put his friend through when he ‘died.’ He made Levi believe that he failed in protecting him. He made him think that he was alone all over again, even with Isabel and Furlan still alive.

His recklessness almost destroyed Levi, and he felt hateful towards himself for causing it. How many times during their years together did Levi have to pay the price for his mistakes? How many times did he have to pull him out of trouble, even when he didn’t have to?

 _‘Too many to count,’_ Eren concluded. Over and over again, Levi was saving him and he took the brunt of the hit. And through it all, Levi didn’t blame him or hold a grudge against him for it. He was always there, ready and willing to put himself in the line of fire just so that he could walk off scot free.

And he was doing it again. Right now, Levi could be killed because he couldn’t stand up for himself. His friends would all die if he didn’t get them out of this. They shouldn’t have to pay the price for his mistakes. It was time for him to finally take charge for once. This time, he would be the one to protect them.

Somehow, while he was mulling over his thoughts, Isabel and Furlan had backed up, and all three of his friends formed a circle around him. They were shielding him and glaring at their offenders, without an ounce of regret, even when they were being threatened to be killed.

As the captain called for the soldiers to fire, Eren quickly stood up and wrapped one of his arms around Furlan and Levi’s own while his other wrapped around Isabel’s waist. They all made noises of shock and confusion, but Eren ignored them. The only thing he could hear was the sound of cannons and pistols firing from all directions.

His friends wouldn’t die today, or ever, if he had a say about it. He would protect them over and over again if it meant that he would get to see them alive and well. They were worth this trouble and so much more, because they stood by him, even when the odds were stacked against him.

They were easily outnumbered, but they still chose to protect him. He wouldn’t let their efforts go to waste. He pulled them closer to himself, feeling their warm bodies encase him, and lifted his arm. He didn’t know why, but instinct told him that he needed to do this to protect his friends.

He opened his mouth and sharply bit into his hand. His newfound adrenaline made him immune to the pain. Bright lightning suddenly erupted and roared through the air, but Eren made sure to keep eye contact with the fearful captain. He wasn’t going to let that man tear his family apart.

Once that thought ran through his head, everything was blank again.


	14. Six: Part Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He didn’t regret going against the others, even if it meant that he would die. It was to protect Eren, and that reason was enough. He couldn’t let Eren die after he had just gotten him back. Still, the others thought that he was a monster, unwilling to trust in his good intentions. But, if this is what it took for Eren to live another day, then he would gladly stand by his side until the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back everyone! Here’s the next update to chapter nine, and it’s over 6k words so hopefully it’s not trashy. To be quite honest, I feel like the past few chapters have been boring and repetitive, and I’m really trying to get out of that habit.
> 
> School really isn’t helping either, what with me going through my schedule changes and getting ready to start working. I’m not writing as often because of that, and that’s probably why there’s repetition in my chapters.
> 
> Still, I’m here to deliver and here you are! I finished this update yesterday and I edited it on my own, but I was tired so if you see any mistakes, comment down below and I’ll take a look at it as fast as I can.
> 
> Don’t forget to leave kudos and/or comments and I’ll see you next Saturday.
> 
> This part will be in Levi’s POV.

Levi closed his eyes when the lightning struck, the bright, golden light blinding him for a few moments. He could tell by the noises Isabel and Furlan were making that they too were trying to shield themselves from the temporary blindness.

Eren’s actions were unexpected to say the least. One minute he was sitting on the ground, eyes scared as they stared up at the people who were going to kill them, and the next, he was up and gathering them in his arms before he did _something_.

He didn’t know what exactly Eren did, but Levi knew that he was the cause of that lightning bolt. It was way too loud and close for it to be anyone else. The only thing he could do was brace himself and wait until the moment passed, trying to stay as calm as possible.

He felt Eren’s arm disappear a few seconds after he saw the lightning, and that caused him and Furlan to fall over each other. They both groaned when they scraped themselves on a few rocks and Isabel yelped in surprise, but she had a much better landing.

Levi felt a rush of heat surround him, but it wasn’t suffocating. It felt nice actually, and he found himself relaxing despite the tense situation they were in. He pulled away from Furlan and sat on his knees, waiting for the bright light to go away.

There was the sound of something heavy falling to the ground and a bit of rumbling, but other than that, no movement was made. Wind spiked up out of nowhere and wrinkled his uniform, but Levi ignored it for now. There were strangled shouts coming from around them by the other soldiers, all wondering what was going on.

When the light seemed to have vanished, Levi hesitantly opened his eyes and saw nothing but a thick gust of wind in front of him. He couldn’t see the other soldiers through it, but he could still hear them. He looked on either side of him and saw Isabel and Furlan gather themselves and look around as well.

Furlan’s sharp intake of breath alerted Levi to their current predicament. Eren was gone, but in his place, what seemed to the part of his titan form had appeared. However, it didn’t look anything like the one he had previously seen.

For one thing, it wasn’t even completely transformed. Nothing below its ribs, which were out in the open and caging the three of them in, was visible and tendons were showing among the patches of skin. Its left arm was dismembered, most likely because it acted as a shield against the cannon fire.

Because of where he was, Levi couldn’t see its face or anything other than the blown up appendage and nonexistent stomach. As the thick steam in front of him began to clear, he heard the other soldiers gasp and some even screamed. They looked at Eren’s titan with horrified faces, their eyes wide in terror and mouths open in silent screams.

“Does Eren really look that bad for them to lose their composure so easily?” Furlan asked. He curiously poked one of the ribs in front of him, but nothing happened. He took his hand away, but still looked curious. “I guess. He’s obviously not in the same form as before,” Isabel answered.

A few seconds later, she smirked. “But it's pretty comical to see them so scared. They look like they’re going to piss themselves,” she chuckled darkly. Levi rolled his eyes at her, unable to fathom how she could find any amusement when they were still in danger.

“We’re still in a tight spot here, Isabel. It’ll take a miracle for us to walk out of here alive,” he reminded her, and that wiped the smirk off her face immediately. She huffed in irritation, probably because he ruined her fun. “No need to remind me, Levi,” she whined.

“Why did Eren transform now? He’s just giving them even more of a reason to kill him,” Furlan asked. Levi’s eyes narrowed at the thought of these bastards killing Eren. “He protected us. They fired and we would’ve all been killed, so Eren transformed in order to give us a chance,” he informed as he looked around their dome.

“That idiot. He’s protecting us even though it means that he’ll get in trouble,” Isabel muttered, a hint of fondness in her voice. Their little moment was ruined though when the captain regained his composure, yelling out, “Don’t hold back, men! Prepare to fire again!”

“That’s just great. Now we’ll be killed for sure,” Furlan huffed, his eyes shining with nervousness. Levi was just about to lift his blades to try to attack, but the sound of steam pouring out of the titan’s body stopped him. He couldn’t see what was happening above him, but judging by the looks on the soldiers’ faces, Eren was making his appearance known.

Levi heard the snapping of tendons and the thud of feet hitting the ground. Soon, through the ribs encasing him, Isabel, and Furlan, he saw as Eren made his way in front of them. Because of the fact that the captain was one of the people ordering his surrender, he couldn’t really do much physically.

So, with what little control Eren did have, he positioned his body so that the other soldiers couldn’t see them inside his titan body, which was starting to slowly disintegrate and steam. “You’re not shooting again! I’m not a threat, you hear me?!” Eren snapped.

Levi thought it was lucky that the soldiers needed time to reload the cannons and pistols, or else Eren would’ve already been on the ground. The captain, who looked like he would pass out any minute, still had enough composure to say, “You just transformed! You could have killed everyone here, including your friends!”

“The only reason why I transformed was because _you_ were going to kill my friends! I don’t care what you do to me, but my friends’ safety is my first priority!” Eren defended himself, his hands formed into fists by his side.

 _‘Eren, just stop talking! You’re just making things worse for yourself!’_ Levi pleaded in his mind. His hands twitched where they were holding onto his blades, restless about their current predicament. He wasn’t out there, which meant that he couldn’t protect Eren if one of those soldiers decided to play dirty.

“Why you little brat! You’ve just dug your own grave!” the captain shouted, his anger definitely showing. Eren didn’t move, unfazed by the older man’s loss in composure. The captain raised his arm high in the air, posture stiff. “Prepare to fire! This time, don’t hold back! We’ll take this monster out for sure this time!” he ordered.

The soldiers did as they were told, reloading their pistols and cannons as quickly as possible. Eren’s previous fear seemed to disappear, as he was still standing without moving a muscle. He was ready to be blown to bits! Levi hurried to his feet and tried to get out of the shield made of bones, but he knew that he wouldn’t be fast enough.

“Eren!” he called out in fear. The brunette didn’t even acknowledge him, choosing to not take his eyes away from the ones who were going to kill him. “Don’t even think about hurting him, you bastards!” Isabel shouted venomously, her hands gripping the bones, almost shattering them.

As the pistols and cannons were once again aimed at Eren, Levi tried even harder to free him and his friends from their sanctuary. He said that he wouldn’t lose Eren again, and damn it, he meant it! These single-minded fools didn’t understand the complexities of Eren’s abilities. All they saw was an enemy and were willing to kill a fifteen year old boy.

“Ready?!” the captain exclaimed, his terrified eyes still locked on Eren’s form. _‘Don’t you even dare look at him!’_ Levi thought hatefully as his blades made cracks in the gigantic ribs. He was so close to getting free! Just a few more hits and then he’d be able to protect Eren from getting himself killed.

The soldiers took aim, their fingers just barely squeezing the triggers on their pistols. They could shoot in less than a second and then Eren would be taken away from him again. That couldn’t happen! Eren still needed to see the outside world!

“Hold on a minute!” a new voice spoke out, effectively making everyone in the area freeze. The soldiers looked around, curious as to who had spoken in the middle of an execution. Levi too looked all around him, seeing that his three friends were doing the same.

“Now just what do you think you’re doing, captain?” the new arrival asked, forming a pathway in the midst of the other soldiers. Levi furrowed his brows, confused as to why someone would interrupt, though he wouldn’t object to it. At least it bought Eren some time.

The person was definitely male, and by the sound of his voice, he seemed to be in his later years. His voice was a bit raspy, but Levi could tell that it held wisdom and intelligence. Maybe this person could help Eren in some way.

Once the new arrival managed to get through the soldiers, he stood tall with his hands behind his back. His face was wrinkled, but he had a smile on his face, accompanied by kind eyes. Levi wondered how anyone could be that relaxed at a time like this.

“What’s the meaning of this, Commander Pixis?!” the captain asked, his arm still held in the air. Levi took a good look at the man who had just arrived, wanting to see the person that saved Eren’s life. He had never heard of the name Pixis before, but he guessed that the man had a lot of power over the Garrison.

After all, one didn’t achieve the title of Commander out of thin air.

Commander Pixis sent the captain off with a wave of his hand, unbothered by the man’s shrill of a voice. “Don’t get hasty now, captain. Use that brain of yours to think about what good things could come from this,” he said calmly.

“Good things?! What can that boy, who we don’t even know, possibly attribute to us?!” the captain wondered. Levi’s eyes narrowed at the captain’s disrespect towards his friend. Just because Eren was still a child compared to them didn’t mean that he was useless.

Eren did more for humanity than that captain and the entire Garrison combined. All they did was sit around and drink until they passed out or doze around all day, never taking their jobs seriously. How dare that scum judge Eren’s abilities when he didn’t even know how skilled he was?!

“Don’t be idiotic. You know as well as I do that this boy’s unexpected ability could aid us in this mission,” Commander Pixis defended. He stayed calm, never once faltering his relaxed demeanor. The same couldn’t be said for the captain or the other soldiers, however.

The captain sputtered, unable to find the right words to say. Furlan, from Levi’s right side, let out an audible sigh of relief. “At least there’s one person who’s willing to give Eren a chance,” he mumbled. Levi nodded, grateful towards Commander Pixis for not being so single-minded like the rest of those fools.

“Sir, are you seriously thinking about trusting that thing?! We don’t know what his intentions are!” a common soldier spoke up. Levi heard Isabel growl low in her throat, almost like an animal. “Eren’s not a _thing_ ,” she seethed. “He’s a fucking human being!”

“Calm down back there,” Eren whispered, just loud enough for only them to hear. Isabel glared at the soldiers with all the hate she could muster, and the ones who were looking at them gulped at her venomous stare. Levi felt the corners of his mouth tilt up in a vicious smirk, feeling satisfied that these soldiers feared them.

Levi wondered how Eren could be so calm right now. These soldiers were about to kill him in cold blood, and yet he just stood there, oozing confidence and determination. Even he was a bit rattled at this point, seeing as the fact he couldn’t stand by Eren’s side and back him up.

“Don’t question my motives,” the commander responded, impatience noticeable in his tone. It effectively shut any objections down and he let a smile grace his aging face again, his anger now gone. “Why don’t we give this young lad a chance to prove himself? That way, you’ll all get your answers,” he offered.

The captain didn’t reply, bowing his head in surrender. He must have known that no matter what he said, Commander Pixis would just do what he wanted in the end. “What do you say, boy? Would you like to have a chat with me?” he asked Eren, eyes trained on the brunette.

Levi watched as Eren took a few seconds to think it over, but he eventually nodded, answering with a loud, “Yes sir! But, I would like to have my friends with me, if that’s alright?” The commander pondered over his request, and eventually nodded with a smile, easing Levi’s worries. Finally, he would be able to watch Eren’s back.

As Commander Pixis waited and the other soldiers gossiped amongst themselves, Levi saw Eren turn around and give them a reassuring smile. Still, Isabel and Furlan kept their eyes on the others, unwilling to trust them in keeping their weapons away from Eren.

“Let’s get you all out of here. This body’s already steaming and I don’t want any of you getting burned,” the brunette said as he pulled on one of the large ribs, which was already cracked in multiple places. Levi immediately jumped in to help, only now realizing the heat surrounding him. His worries over Eren must have made him immune to the heat.

The bones surrounding them easily gave way, what with all of their efforts to get free from earlier chipping away at them. Once in the clear from the steaming corpse, they all moved far away from it and watched the other soldiers wearily. Eren stumbled and Levi wrapped his arms around him, steadying him.

“You’re still weak from earlier, Eren. Don’t overexert yourself,” he chastised gently. The brunette shook his head, even when a bit of sweat was forming at the base of his forehead. “I’m fine, Levi. Don’t worry about me. We have much bigger things to worry about,” he brushed off.

Levi closed his eyes in resignation, letting Eren get the last word in. Eren was always stubborn like that, saying that he was alright when he really wasn’t. It was why Levi had taken care of him throughout their years together. He knew Isabel and Furlan had to do the same, judging by their exasperated faces.

“Let’s get a move on, shall we?” Commander Pixis said as he walked over to them. Levi didn’t respond to the man, waiting until Eren was feeling alright enough to get moving. When the brunette nodded, Commander Pixis took that as his cue and used his gear to fly away from prying eyes.

Levi watched the older man until he landed on the wall quite a distance away, patiently waiting for them to join him. Since Eren didn’t have his own gear anymore, which somehow disappeared, most likely in that titan’s stomach, Levi had to carry him.

He didn’t mind helping Eren out, but the weight of his body pressed against his side as he flew through the air, with his two friends beside him, made his brain lose focus for a few seconds. It felt good to have Eren close to him again, and he had the urge to press himself against the taller teen until he couldn’t take it anymore.

Of course, it was mostly just because he wanted to be sure that Eren was still here, still with _him_ , but there was also that small part of him that ached to have Eren that close for completely different reasons. Reasons that he shouldn’t even think about a time like this, when titans were still roaming around and making a feast out of them.

Levi pushed his feelings to the back of his mind, focusing on the task at hand. He arrived at the wall and helped Eren steady himself, since he still seemed to be a bit out of it. Isabel and Furlan were right beside him, their presence soothing Levi’s nerves.

Commander Pixis stood at the edge, with his hands clasped behind his back. They were facing towards the sun, and Levi could feel the heat warming up his skin to an almost uncomfortable level. He really didn’t want to be in the heat, considering the fact that he had been in a steaming titan body.

The five of them were silent for a few minutes, the only noises being the soldiers down below arguing and Eren trying to catch his breath. Levi gazed at the brunette worriedly and placed a hand on his shoulder, causing Eren to look at him in confusion.

“I know you’re not fine. Please don’t rush yourself, okay?” he pleaded with the older. He knew everything about Eren and there was nothing he could hide from him. When he came out of his titan the first time, he looked so worn out and it took over twenty minutes for him to wake up.

Then, he went and transformed again not even five minutes later! Levi didn’t know the capacities of titan-shifters, but he knew for a fact that transforming so soon, especially when one wasn’t accustomed to it, took a lot out of someone. Eren may say that he’s fine, but he wasn’t buying it.

“Levi, don’t worry about me. I promise I’m feeling alright now,” Eren assured. He straightened himself out and Levi reluctantly pulled his hand away. He still kept a close eye on him though, just to be safe. He knew Eren didn’t particularly like being taken care of, but he needed to understand that it was for his own safety.

“We don’t have much time left, so say what you need to say quickly,” Commander Pixis advised, his back still towards them. Levi didn’t have a clue on what to say and neither did Isabel or Furlan, judging by the way they shuffled on their feet.

“I know you don’t trust me commander, and I can’t make you, but I promise you that I’m not siding with the titans. That would be the one thing I would never do,” Eren assured, his voice steady as he regained his composure. Levi, understanding that this was a conversation for Commander Pixis and Eren, stepped back and silently told his friends to stay quiet.

Commander Pixis hummed, but never turned around. “Tell me, my boy, why do you wish to eradicate the titans? What caused you to set that goal for yourself at such a young age?” he asked curiously. Levi saw Eren’s body tense up and his hands form into fists, slightly shaking.

Eren’s been asked this question who knows how many times before, but his answer was always the same. “They took someone away from me, from all of us,” he answered, his green eyes glancing back at Levi and his other two friends. Levi lowered his eyes in anguish and reached back, taking ahold of Isabel’s hand when he heard the girl’s breathing shake.

No matter how much time had passed, he would always remember that day. What started out as an amazing afternoon turned into a nightmare in just a matter of seconds. That day, when the walls broke, he lost his second mother and another piece of himself again. He had completely lost his innocence five years ago.

“The titans have ruined our lives enough, and we can’t let ourselves be controlled like this any longer. If we don’t do something, then humanity will cease to exist and there will be no future for us,” Eren continued. He looked away from Levi and faced Commander Pixis.

Though the man was facing away from them, the tilt of his head alerted Levi that he was interested in what Eren had to say. Finally, someone listened to his friend’s opinion and didn’t laugh at him. He was honestly getting sick of people thinking that Eren was crazy for wanting to destroy the titans.

“Your reasonings are justified, my boy. However, it’s one thing to _say_ you’re going to eliminate the titans, but another to actually _do_ it. How will you achieve such a rigorous task?” he wondered, his eyes shining with curiosity and a bit of respect.

Levi bit his lip, anxiously waiting for Eren to say something. The brunette had stayed quiet, refusing to answer right away. Commander Pixis did have a point in distinguishing the line between words and actions. While Eren’s dedication was incredibly strong, the titans had ruled over them for more than a century.

That just proved how powerful they actually were. With only a small percent of humanity still intact, it would take many years for the titans to be killed. It most likely wouldn’t even happen during their lifetime! There was still so much that they didn’t know about the titans, their history before the walls were built a mystery.

There were no books or any type of records of the life humanity lived before the titans wiped them out. It was all blank, only knowing the life inside the walls since they were built. The titans, even though they roamed the earth for over a century, had so many unknown abilities.

Eren was proof of that. If he could transform into a titan without even knowing, then did that mean there were others like him inside the walls? Were there other humans with that strange power who could be used against them?

“In order for us to know the truth about the titans and how they came to be, I need to go back home,” Eren answered vaguely. At this, everyone perked up and their interest spiked substantially. “Is that so? Why would you need to go back? What’s so important about your home?” the commander asked.

Eren took a deep breath. “Before I transformed into a titan for the second time, I heard my father’s voice in my head. He sounded urgent, and I could do nothing but listen to him,” he started. Levi stared wide-eyed at Eren, listening intently to his story.

This was the first time he had heard Dr. Yeager’s name come from anyone in years. To be quite honest, Levi had forgotten about the man, too many things occupying his time. Eren’s father wasn’t in town when the wall broke five years ago, since he left in the morning to another district for an appointment.

After that disaster, none of them heard from the older man for weeks until he came back one day out of the blue. He stayed with them at the shelter for a few days, but one night, he took Eren away. “We’re just going to go for a walk,” he had said when Levi asked where they were headed.

Levi didn’t question him, thinking that it would be good for Eren and his father to spend some alone time together. They were all each other had left of Carla, so they needed to catch up and get things in order. He remembered waiting for a couple of hours, staying awake with Isabel and Furlan until they returned.

When an officer came back with Eren asleep in his arms, Levi was curious as to why Dr. Yeager wasn’t with him. He asked the officer, but the only answer he got was that there was nobody else with Eren when he found him in the woods.

Levi had reluctantly accepted the answer, the only thing on his mind being if Eren was okay. When the brunette woke up, he too asked where his father was, but Levi didn’t have a clue. What was odd was the fact that Eren didn’t remember what happened in the woods, saying that it was all a blur.

Time went on and Dr. Yeager never came back. He never wrote to them, he never visited, it was like he had disappeared. While he hated to admit it, Levi held a hint of resentment towards the older man for leaving Eren alone again. He didn’t even say goodbye when he left that building for the last time.

How could he just abandon his only son when Eren needed him the most? Why did he leave the four of them when all they wanted was the comforting touch of a parent? Did he not care enough to stick around? Or was he just too stricken with grief to look after them?

The years passed and after some time, Levi completely forgot about Dr. Yeager. He never showed up, so he saw it as a waste of time to think about him anymore. He probably got eaten by a titan if he went off on his own after that night he took Eren.

But now Eren remembered something about his father. What did he tell his son that made him remember it now? Was it something about the titans? Did he somehow know about Eren’s abilities and told him what to do?

“He told me that I needed to control this power no matter the consequences. He warned me that if I didn’t, then everyone I cared about would die, and that’s something that I won’t allow,” Eren continued. His voice was serious, not even a speck of sadness, humor, or any other emotion present.

“When I was a kid, my father gave me his key, the one he always had around his neck,” he recalled, grasping the metal in between his fingers and gazing at it longingly. Levi could see how sad Eren’s eyes were as they looked at the last piece of his father.

“I remember the day he gave it to me very clearly. It was a few days before the wall was breached, and my father found out that I wanted to join the Survey Corps. He overheard Isabel and I talking about it, and when she left, he asked me why I chose to follow in that direction.”

Levi turned to Isabel beside him and the redhead had a contemplative look on her face. Her eyes scanned the wall, her face scrunched up in thought. She was remembering that day as well, it seemed. He didn’t know if Furlan was aware of what happened that day, but he most likely didn’t since the dull blonde wasn’t nosy.

“When I told him why, he just looked at me for a minute. It was almost like he was planning something, but he never told me what. After that conversation, he gave me his key, making me promise to keep it safe. He said that he was going to show me what was in the basement,” he finished.

Eren’s grip on the key tightened, no doubt making his hand reek of metal. His green eyes narrowed into slits, mouth pressed into a firm line. “Obviously, he never showed me,” he added, almost like an afterthought. Levi, as well as the rest of them, didn’t utter a word for some time, each processing the information.

There was no doubt in Levi’s mind that whatever was in Dr. Yeager’s basement was extremely important. Why else would he tell Eren to protect that key? None of them had ever been allowed to go down into that room, both Carla and Dr. Yeager saying that there were instruments and other objects in there that could be dangerous.

“What does any of this have to do with your father? I’m still a bit confused by your story,” Commander Pixis asked with a small frown, making even more wrinkles appear on his face. While Levi understood the story that Eren recalled, he didn’t really know how any of this had to do with Dr. Yeager.

Sure, the man was incredibly smart and cunning, but what did he know about their current situation? How could Eren be so sure that whatever was in that basement would help them? Was there something that the brunette wasn’t telling them?

“The reason I’m telling you this is because my father made me into what those soldiers witnessed earlier. I don’t exactly remember how, but I know for a fact that he’s the one who gave me my abilities to transform into a titan. One can’t just be born with the abilities, it has to be given,” Eren revealed.

Levi felt like a bucket of ice cold water was dumped on him and his shoulders went rigid. Was Eren being serious about this? Dr. Yeager was the one who gave Eren his titan abilities? Why would he do that though? What purpose did that serve to give his son these powers?

But if Dr. Yeager gave Eren his abilities, then that meant that it could’ve only happened when they last saw each other. _‘The day he disappeared…’_ Levi realized suddenly. When Dr. Yeager took Eren away, he must have given him his abilities somehow. That would explain why he never returned again.

“What?! What are you saying, Eren?!” Isabel blurted out. She must not believe Eren’s story, even though she knew that he would never lie. Levi too was having a hard time trusting his friend’s words, but there really was no explanation as to how Eren could transform in the first place.

Dr. Yeager was the only man that could remotely even come close to achieving this shocking, yet terrifying, achievement. He was incredibly smart, and if anyone could crack that code, then it would be him. Levi could feel a headache coming on just by thinking about it.

“Whatever’s in that basement has the answers about the titans. I’m sure of it,” Eren finished confidently. Levi looked between the brunette and Commander Pixis, gauging the older’s reaction. His skin was pulled tight against his mouth and eyes, face contemplative as he looked at Eren.

He must be thinking about whether to trust Eren’s theory. If whatever his friend was saying was true, then that could actually give humanity a fighting chance. But, they would need to go to Shiganshina first, which was a near impossible task.

The district and everything inside of Wall Maria was deserted, the government deciding to withdraw everyone that was still alive after the attack into Wall Rose or Sina. The towns were abandoned, littered with rubble and destruction caused by the titans.

Some of the titans still lingered, and it was incredibly dangerous for anyone to go near Wall Maria. The chances of getting eaten were extremely high and some people made the attempt to go back inside, for whatever reason, Levi had no clue.

None of them ever returned.

If what Eren saying was true, then that just made their mission a lot more difficult. They would have to go to Shiganshina somehow to get in that basement. Its risks were high, but if it meant that they would be able to find out more about the titans, then Levi knew the Survey Corps would take that chance.

Commander Pixis sighed, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “You’re asking for something that could get us all killed, you know that? Whatever’s left of humanity could perish if we go ahead with your assumption. We would all die, our efforts for the past century going down the drain,” he said bluntly.

Levi’s nervousness skyrocketed, sweat building up on his temple, and not just because of the sun. This was a serious decision to make, and it seemed like Commander Pixis wasn’t very fond of the idea. Levi thought it was crazy as well, but it was the only choice they had.

If the commander didn’t give his approval, then would that mean that Eren would be back where he was before? In the middle of those other soldiers, just itching to be the one to kill him? Commander Pixis was literally holding Eren’s life in his hands.

“True, but isn’t it worth it to try and make things better for humanity? What if this really does give us an advantage over the titans?” Eren countered. Levi was shocked at how much thought his friend put into this. Eren wasn’t dumb by any means, but his habit of using physical strength made him forget how smart he really was.

At the comment, Commander Pixis smirked. “You sure do know how to use your words, boy,” he praised. Levi saw Eren give a small smirk as well, a speck of cockiness visible in those teal eyes of his. He shook his head, silently telling the older man to not stroke Eren’s ego.

“I’ll support you with this theory of yours, but you’ll have to convince the Survey Corps. Before that, however, we have to survive completing this mission,” the commander agreed. Levi closed his eyes and his shoulders sagged in relief. This bought Eren some time against the Garrison.

“How are we going to get rid of all of these titans? There are too many of them and there are still some coming in,” Furlan asked, making his presence known. Levi immediately looked towards the other side of the district, the towering shadows of the titans as they scoured the area hardly a sight to miss.

“Not to mention the breach in the wall. If we want to stop anymore titans from coming in, then we first need to seal it,” Isabel added to their worries. Levi mulled over their concerns, his brain looking for any type of answers. It was pointless for them to go after the titans first, since more would still be arriving.

If they wanted to make it out of this alive, then it would be best for them to plug up the hole in the wall and then take out the titans inside. But Furlan was right when he said that there were far too many of them in this small area. They’d already lost so many of their fellow soldiers, and they weren’t doing so well in the beginning anyways.

“I think I have a plan for that,” the commander announced. When Levi looked up, having enough of gazing at the top of the wall, he found the older man with his hands clasped behind his back again. There was a mysterious glint in his eyes and his mouth was tilted upwards in a confident smile.

“Since I’m trusting you with your theory, then it would only make sense for you to trust me with mine,” he continued. Levi narrowed his eyes, not liking where the commander was going with this. While the older man wasn’t a bad person, the raven could tell that he was planning something that he most certainly wasn’t going to like.

“Depends on what exactly that plan is,” he warned. Any other time, Levi would have second-guessed going against a superior officer, but right now, his gut told him that whatever plan the commander had was going to involve Eren. With his friend’s abilities now in the open, he wasn’t having a good feeling about this plan, especially with the way Commander Pixis was looking at Eren.

“Levi!” Furlan hissed quietly, elbowing him in the ribs. Levi grunted at the action and glared at the taller boy, annoyed by his actions. Didn’t Furlan understand that he was only looking out for Eren? It was his responsibility to keep an eye on him, and he took that job very seriously. It didn’t matter who he was talking to. If they tried to hurt Eren, then he would have no problem with cutting them open with his blades.

“Don’t worry, my boy. This plan of mine won’t be too much for your little boyfriend,” Commander Pixis placated with a raised hand. Levi turned his head to stare at the older man so fast that he almost got whiplash. He sputtered for a second, trying to form the words he wanted to say. Involuntarily, he felt his cheeks getting warm at the words that were said.

He heard Isabel scoff and Furlan chuckle, but for the moment he ignored them. What the hell was the commander going on about? Eren wasn’t his boyfriend by any means! He just cared a lot about the brunette and didn’t want him to get hurt out there. Surely there couldn’t be anymore of a reason for his actions towards Eren, right?

Eren cleared his throat rather loudly, making the commander focus on him once again. “So this plan of yours, commander. What exactly is it?” he asked, trying to get things back on track. Once Levi felt his cheeks return to their normal temperature, he took a chance to look at Eren.

The brunette was already staring at him, but when he realized he was caught, he quickly looked away. Levi didn’t take his eyes off Eren, and after a while, he could see a faint blush dust over his friend’s cheeks. It was hard to see, what with Eren’s darker skin tone and the orange sun shining on him.

The commander chuckled for a moment before he regained his composure. “Since you want to prove that you’re still on the side of humanity and these titans need to be taken out, I figured we’d hit two birds with one stone,” he started.

Levi frowned slightly, not understanding what the commander was trying to say. His mind was still a little haywire from the man’s accusation earlier, so it took longer for him than usual to keep up with the conversation.

When no one answered, Commander Pixis smirked and looked at Eren with the utmost trust possible. “You, Eren Yeager, will use that titan of yours to plug up that hole in the wall.”


	15. Six: Part Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The battle to recapture Trost District begins, and Eren is determined to show the titans that humanity can fight back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is probably the second longest I’ve ever written, and it was actually very tiring to jot down.
> 
> I feel like this update is a bit rushed, and if it is, I sincerely apologize. School has been taking up most of my time so I haven’t been able to write as much as I want. I literally finished this chapter today, and I’m a little disappointed with how it turned out.
> 
> Still, I’m determined to stick to my schedule and update every Saturday, so I’m posting this even though it may be trash. This is the last part of chapter nine, so the next update will be a one-shot, at least that’s what I plan to make it as.
> 
> Thank you all so much for following this story and for getting me to 3k hits! It’s really amazing that so many people like this story and seeing all those comments and kudos really makes me want to keep writing. As long as you all enjoy reading this, I’ll keep on writing.
> 
> I edited this myself (I don’t have a beta) so if you see any errors, then let me know and I’ll fix it as soon as possible. Remember to leave comments and/or kudos since they make me really happy! <3
> 
> This part will be in Eren’s POV.

The sun wasn’t a very comfortable sensation for Eren right now. He felt the sweat accumulating on his neck and back, and it caused his shirt and jacket to stick to his skin. He was already nervous about this plan, he didn’t need to feel like he would melt any second now.

He was grateful towards Commander Pixis for listening to his theories earlier, but this plan of his wasn’t what he expected to be given in return. The older man saved his life against the other soldiers down there, but he just might die at the hands of the titans swarming the district, for real this time.

But, as he saw the titans far off in the distance, he told himself that now wasn’t the time to have second thoughts. This was their best chance at winning this battle and getting one step closer to reclaiming Wall Maria.

He was a big part of this plan, the main factor in all of this. He didn’t know why his father gave him his titan abilities, but it seemed like they would be put to good use today. He already did it once to save his friends from getting killed, and if he could pull it off again, then many more people would be spared.

Just like the commander said, he would use his titan to seal the breach in the wall. There was a large rock near the middle of the district, the one he had seen at the beginning of this mission, and it was the perfect size to completely cover the exposed piece of the wall.

Once he sealed it, then their next course of action would be to eliminate the titans inside. Hopefully none of them would interfere with him, since the commander explained to him that they would use every available soldier as bait. It was their duty to lure the titans to the far corner of the district, far enough away from him to put his plan into action.

Eren had to give Commander Pixis props for his rather smart plan, but there was still one problem with it. Though his titan was stronger than the rest, there was no guarantee that he would be able to even transform in the first place.

The second time he had transformed, his titan looked drastically different. He never actually saw his other form the first time, but he knew just by looking at it that it wasn’t supposed to look like it did. Levi even told him that it looked horrible compared to its original form, and he had to admit that it did look rather disgusting.

He was still feeling a bit out of it once he escaped his titan, and that most likely was a huge factor when it came to his transformation. If he was still tired, then would it affect his titan as well? Would it look like it did before, or would it be even worse? Eren was positive that transforming three times in a row wasn’t healthy.

And even if he was able to transform perfectly like his first attempt, there was no telling if he would be able to control it. He didn’t even remember his time as a titan, it was all just a blank memory. As hard as he tried, he just couldn’t remember anything. He didn’t know what he did, how he acted, or who he killed.

That was his biggest fear going into this. If he couldn’t control himself, then he had no doubt that the plan would be called off and he’d be killed. The other soldiers had no problem shoving their pistols in his face earlier, and him going crazy would just support their earlier assumptions that he was their enemy.

He couldn’t allow himself to lose control. If he did, then the innocent civilians, including his friends, would die. He didn’t really care much about the soldiers that tried to kill him or his friends. It didn’t bother him that they wanted to kill him, he was a titan and they were afraid, so it was understandable. However, they tried to hurt his friends as well and that was something he could never forgive.

They weren’t titans and they had no reason to shoot at them. They let their fear consume them and that almost resulted in his friends’ deaths. How could they even think about killing them when they didn’t know anything? They used their power selfishly, especially the captain.

Seeing his fear-stricken face when Commander Pixis announced that he would be the one to seal the wall was comical to him. In that moment, that man wasn’t the captain of the Garrison, he was just a selfish coward who couldn’t stand anyone going against his rule. If he died, then Eren wouldn’t feel bad for him at all.

“Are you done being so self-absorbed in your thoughts? We’re just about to get things going,” a voice announced from behind him. Eren smiled a bit, knowing right off the bat who was talking to him. He turned, watching as Levi eliminated the distance between them. His boots made a soft thumping sound as he walked, stopping when he stood beside him.

Eren, for the first time, took a good look at the raven, memorizing every detail that he could. As usual, he was calm and collected, none of his previous anger apparent in his features. He stood tall, with his skilled hands resting lightly on his hip compartments, ready to pull out his blades at any second.

His blue eyes were trained on him, looking him over for probably the tenth time today. It irked him a bit, but he had nobody to blame but himself. His actions caused Levi to be like this, so he let the small raven do as he wished. Eren could tell that it helped Levi calm down, and he stayed quiet until those eyes locked on him again.

“There’s nothing wrong with thinking a little,” he defended. There wasn’t any heat in his words, recognizing the tone Levi had used, which meant that he was only teasing him. His response was met with a scoff, and he saw from the corner of his eye that Levi had one of his eyebrows raised in question.

“You hardly ever use your brain, since you prefer to use your fists instead,” Levi insulted, not looking even a bit sorry for his words. Eren smirked, used to hearing such a response from his friend. Even he would begrudgingly admit that he relied more on physical strength than mental.

“I guess I’m just full of surprises then,” he retorted. That was true as well. He always managed to catch his friends off guard by doing or saying something, especially back when they trained for those two years to be in the Survey Corps. Today brought upon another surprise, and it topped all the rest by a landslide.

“You’re right about that,” Levi agreed, his eyes telling Eren that he was thinking the same. As he thought about their situation, Eren felt the light atmosphere disappear. In just a few minutes, the plan would be put into motion. This would determine humanity’s next move, and he held all the cards.

“But I can tell that what you’re thinking about in that big head of yours isn’t helping you any,” the raven said, eyes falling on him once again. “Even when I was talking with the others, I could easily tell that you were worried about something.”

Eren cursed at his obvious behavior. No matter how much he tried to hide his true feelings, Levi still managed to figure him out. It was most likely because of being together for so many years. They had such a strong bond that they could read each other’s moods in a flash.

Most of the time it was a blessing. But right now, Eren felt like it was a curse. He didn’t want to worry Levi at a time like this, when they were just minutes away from going into their most dangerous mission yet. They both needed to be as focused as possible and here Levi was, worrying about him because he couldn’t figure things out on his own.

He opened his mouth to say that he was fine, but Levi’s eyes narrowed and he was given a harsh glare. He immediately closed his mouth, swallowing thickly at the dangerous look he was receiving. He was mostly always on Levi’s good side, but in these circumstances, he remembered that the raven wouldn’t have a problem with beating him.

“Don’t even try to deny it. I’m not a moron,” Levi hissed, silencing Eren’s rebuttal. He still wanted to reassure his friend, but doing that would only worry Levi more and cause him to lose focus. In order to save himself the trouble of getting kicked around, he wisely kept his mouth shut and looked underneath him at the ground so far away.

“What’s got you so worried, huh? It’s the mission, I know that, but what about it?” Levi asked him. There was obvious concern in Levi’s voice, and Eren didn’t have the heart to lie to him. He also didn’t want his body to become one giant bruise at the hands of the temperamental teen.

He sighed, taking a moment to figure out how to voice his concerns. “What if I mess up? What if I can’t even transform like I did the first time? I mean, you saw how it turned out the second time, what if it gets worse?” he babbled. His eyebrows furrowed as he thought about all of the things that could go wrong.

“Then we’ll find another way to go through this,” Levi stated simply. Eren shook his head, not accepting the vague answer. “We already made plans if you can’t transform, so that won’t be a problem. You’ll try your hardest to transform, you know that, so don’t stress yourself out,” he reassured.

Eren bit his lip, contemplating whether he wanted to voice what other worry he was thinking about. A knowing look from Levi quickly made his decision. “And if I do transform? What then?” he asked. Levi frowned, not understanding his concern.

“Then we go ahead with the plan. I don’t see how you transforming into your titan will be a problem. You’re strong so you’ll be the best candidate to seal that wall,” Levi answered. Eren again shook his head, this time in frustration. His friend wasn’t listening to him!

“That’s exactly what I’m afraid of! I’m stronger than the usual titan, and that means I’ll be harder to watch out for,” he exclaimed, hands running through his shaggy brown hair. His eyes widened, visions of what he could do running through his mind.

“Your strength is a good thing, Eren. You need to be more specific about what you’re worried about or I’ll never understand,” Levi advised, his eyes cautious as he turned so that his body was facing Eren. Without even realizing his actions, Eren ripped his hands away from his hair and grasped Levi’s arms.

He pulled the raven forward, hands squeezing the thin arms in his hold. He heard Levi groan in discomfort, and Eren lessened his grip just enough so that he wouldn’t bruise. “What the hell was that for?” Levi asked irritably, not one to be pulled around like a rag doll.

Eren lowered his head, his face a few inches away from Levi’s. From this close, he could see the different shades of blue in his friend’s eyes. They were like the ocean that he saw in one of Furlan’s books, and they shined like diamonds when the sun hit them at just the right angle.

“What if I hurt you?” he whispered, face scrunched up in fear. Levi froze, his eyes widening at his question. “What if I can’t control myself once I transform? I could kill you as well as Isabel and Furlan, and that’s the last thing I want to do,” he revealed.

Levi’s features softened and he relaxed in his arms. “Eren…” he whispered just as softly as he did, eyes shining with something like fondness. Eren, however, didn’t let him finish his statement. “If you get hurt because of me, then I would never forgive myself. I care about you too much to let anything happen to you,” he finished.

Levi lifted one of his arms and gently grasped one of his own, squeezing it comfortingly. “You won’t hurt me, Eren,” he said with so much conviction. Eren shook his head once, his hands gripping Levi like a lifeline. “How can you be so sure?” he contradicted.

“Because you didn’t before. In fact, you did the exact opposite, remember? When I was trapped, you saved me. And you did it again when I was at HQ, absolutely demolishing the other titans,” Levi reminded. Eren thought back to how much praise he had towards that titan for protecting Levi, when it was actually himself he needed to praise instead.

“But–” he wanted to argue, but Levi didn’t let him get started. “It was _you_ who saved me. _You’re_ the one that protected me,” he asserted, voice urgent. “You knew that it was me, your friend, that was in danger. If it wasn’t for you, then I wouldn’t be standing here,” he ended.

How could Eren argue with that? While he didn’t exactly remember his first time as a titan, he did recall, in his sleep, the familiar scent of Levi. He didn’t know how he could smell it so strongly, but there was no mistaking it. He knew that scent of mint leaves combined with a tint of honey, and he wanted to follow it forever.

He just never realized that he was actually following it towards Levi. It felt like a dream to him, but now he realized that it wasn’t one at all. Even combined with the stench of blood and steaming corpses, he could pinpoint Levi’s delectable aroma like it was the only one he smelled.

Seeing Levi’s honest gaze made every doubt in his mind vanish and he slumped, eyes closing in relief. Levi could always calm him down and reassure him that everything would be fine. To show his gratitude, he leaned even closer and pressed his forehead against Levi’s, an act that he had wanted to do for so long, but refrained himself from doing it.

Feeling Levi’s warm skin touching his did something to Eren. It was like all of his troubles melted away and he never wanted to separate himself from the raven. He felt connected to the teen, like their bodies were joined as one. Why did he shut down these urges for so long?

He heard Levi’s sharp intake of breath, and when he slowly opened his eyes, he noticed that a small blush had appeared on his pale cheeks. Those blue eyes stared at him in shock, and Eren simply smirked at the reaction his friend gave.

Only he could cause Levi to lose his composure like this, and it was comical to see the usually stoic and calm raven turn into a shy and blushing mess. That was why he kept on doing things like this. It boosted his ego to know that he held some type of control over Levi, but it was also because he wanted to be closer to the teen.

He had been feeling like this for quite some time now, but he told himself to steer clear of those types of emotions for the time being. Their first priority was to kill the titans, and then maybe he could indulge in his little fantasy of having something with Levi.

But right now, they had a job to do.

He pulled away from Levi, just far enough away so that he could see the entirety of his face. “Thanks,” he murmured with a thankful smile, causing a tilt to Levi’s own lips. The raven nodded and Eren let go of his arms, freeing him from his hold.

Eren walked by Levi’s side back towards the rest of the soldiers. They were talking amongst themselves, Isabel and Furlan with them as well, but all talking ceased when he arrived. Unlike the majority of the other soldiers, the ones up here were with Commander Pixis, supporting him with his plan.

They didn’t fully trust him, but they certainly didn’t harbor any killing intent towards him either. Eren was just happy that not everyone wanted to see him dead just because of what he was. What was even better was the fact that these soldiers would be his protection squad while he tried to seal the wall.

His friends would also join them and that eased Eren’s anxiousness. At least they would be in his line of sight throughout it all. He certainly didn’t want them to be with the other soldiers distracting the titans. He could read people, even ones he didn’t know very well, and he didn’t like the soldiers’ intentions.

They were obviously still itching to kill him and Eren was sure that they would attempt something against his friends. Even though they weren’t titan-shifters like himself, the fact that they were affiliated with him was enough for them to be targets. He didn’t trust any of them with his friends and if they tried anything against them, then he would kill them, consequences be damned.

“We’re ready when you are, Eren,” one of the soldiers, a female, said. He nodded and looked all of them over one more time. Commander Pixis’ squad were as calm as ever, their eyes holding all the experience they obtained throughout the years.

Isabel and Furlan weren’t too far off, both with their blades ready and faces shadowed by their dedication to follow this plan through. Though they didn’t have the same level as experience as the rest, their speed more than made up for it.

When his gaze met Levi, he was met with the vision of the perfect soldier. He stood tall and straight, his eyes fierce and determined. There wasn’t an ounce of fear in his body and Eren felt lucky to have someone like Levi watching his back. With his level of skill, nothing would get past the raven.

“We should go inform Commander Pixis that we’re ready. That way, he can alert the other soldiers,” the female announced, followed by nods from her companions. They all quickly left to find the commander, leaving Eren and his friends on their own.

“You three be careful, alright? If any of you get in trouble, I won’t be able to help you out,” Eren pleaded. As much as he had faith in his friends, there was still that seed of doubt in his mind that told him something would go wrong. A titan could pop out of nowhere and throw them into even more chaos.

“We’ll do our best, Eren. But you shouldn’t worry about us right now. The only thing you need to think about is getting that rock to seal the wall,” Furlan answered. Eren accepted the answer, knowing that neither of his friends could promise him that they would be alright. Such things weren’t possible in these circumstances.

“Yeah, I know. Just wanted to remind you to stay on guard. Especially with those other soldiers,” he replied, the last sentence coming out as a sneer. The amount of anger he held towards them made him hate the Garrison so much more. They were all the same, only looking to save their own skin rather than helping out others.

“Why should we worry about those low lifes?” Isabel spoke, green eyes scrunched in confusion. Eren detected in her orbs the same level of rage as him against the others, obviously remembering the danger they had put them through earlier.

“Because we’re close with Eren, they think we’re hiding something from them. Don’t forget that they still want to kill him, so in their minds, we’re the next best thing,” Levi informed, voice as cold as ice while he spoke about the Garrison soldiers. Eren knew that the majority of that anger was because of what they tried against him.

“Like I’ll even let those bastards try anything like that. If they even look at any of us the wrong way, I’ll slice them piece by piece,” Isabel promised as she swung her blades in front of her, her eyes going a shade darker as she looked towards the direction of the rest of the soldiers.

“Same here. They won’t even dare to try anything against us once we make an example out of them,” Furlan supported, his hands squeezing his blades with so much force that Eren thought they might break. Eren felt a bead of sweat roll down his temple as he saw the killing intent radiating off them.

It was rare for Isabel and Furlan to show this much aggressiveness. But just like him, the one way to bring that side of themselves forward was if someone they cared about was put in harm's way. He was almost killed by soldiers, the people that were supposed to protect them, and they too were almost shot without an ounce of regret.

“Just try not to give them a reason to kill us right now. We have enough enemies as it is,” Levi ordered them. The duo deflated a bit, but they agreed to the raven’s request easily. Eren found it comical that they, like him, didn’t want to fall victim to Levi’s temper. The raven, once pissed off, was a literal killing machine.

A loud whistle brought their attention towards the far side of the wall, where Commander Pixis was standing. His loud voice spoke towards the soldiers, ordering them to get in positions. The three other soldiers that would be a part of Eren’s team were already running towards them.

The mission had begun. 

After Commander Pixis finished with his speech, Eren heard the sound of gear being used and saw as the many soldiers went ahead towards the district. They were like a pack of wolves, slowly spreading around to catch the titans’ attention. It was their job to get the titans to the other side of the district, clumping them together for as long as they could.

They were given orders not to attack, since it would just result in even more casualties. Right now, they needed as much manpower as possible. The only time they would be allowed to kill was if a titan separated itself from the group, going back to the center of the district.

Eren’s hands felt clammy from where they were by his sides. He watched as the flying silhouettes of the soldiers came into contact with the many titans around the district. The giant beasts slowly followed them, their mouths open and meaty hands reaching out towards their meal.

Some of them were able to grab the soldiers, successfully putting them into their disgusting mouths. Eren could hear the faint echo of their screams, but he found himself not caring as much as he should be. Like he said before, they made the terrible mistake of going after his family. Plus, this was their job and they had to be prepared to die.

The three soldiers arrived and they waited for their cue. Eren couldn’t do anything yet since not all of the titans were taken care of. He could transform once they were far away from him, making his job at least a bit easier. As he waited, he closed his eyes and willed himself to rid the lingering thoughts in his mind.

He needed to focus. There was no room for error and he needed to place his trust in his friends to watch his back. He _would_ transform, he _would_ be able to control himself, and he _would_ seal the wall! He could do this! He never gave up, even when the situation was bad, and this was his chance to prove that he was useful.

“Let’s get a move on! We should at least get closer to the rock so that we won’t waste anymore time!” a blonde man ordered them. When he began to run, Eren followed him eagerly, pushing himself to the best of his ability. He wanted to get to their spots quickly just in case the others finished their duty earlier than they thought.

As they ran, Eren refused to look anywhere other than right in front of him. He knew that if he so much as caught a glimpse of the others, then he would get nervous again. That was the last thing that he needed to focus on.

Ever since the titans appeared well over a century ago, humanity had been on the losing end. Their efforts had gone to waste, the titans proving to be too powerful for them to handle. The weapons they had created, cannons, pistols, and who knew what else, just weren’t enough.

Whenever humanity even had a speck of hope, the titans squashed it. They were driven into a corner, just waiting for those monsters to make their move. Every time they did, humanity paid the price and innocents were sacrificed, shoved down the titans’ disgusting throats.

Eren made a vow to complete this mission, no matter what it took. Humanity would no longer be at the mercy of the titans, their plan to eradicate them even stronger than ever. He was humanity’s hope, his strange and unexpected abilities giving them an advantage over the titans.

Unlike those other beasts, whose minds were wasted, he could actually do something useful for a change. His level of strength while in titan form was far above the usual, making him humanity’s strongest ally at the moment.

He thought of the people, whose actions led them to this moment. He was here because of them, and Eren wanted to honor their heroic deeds. They deserved to have someone praise them for their actions since most of humanity didn’t see their value.

He thought of his beloved mother, hoping that she was looking down at him from above with a proud smile on her face. How would she react when she witnessed how grown up he had become since her passing? No longer was he that temperamental little boy who repeatedly got into fights over the dumbest things.

He was basically an adult now, his experiences in life shaping him into what he was today. He still used his brute strength, but now he also used his intellect to think things through. He had matured so quickly in these past five years and though the circumstances weren’t the best, he was thankful for it.

He thought of his friends, who were right there beside him, putting aside their fears to save humanity. They were his family, the people he would do anything for in a heartbeat. Seeing them made his dedication to exterminate the titans that much stronger because they deserved it.

For a brief moment, Eren recalled a few of their shared memories together. All four of them sitting side by side in a grassy field, just enjoying whatever amount of peace they could gather. It felt so long ago, but at the same time, it was like it happened just a few days prior.

He remembered Isabel’s cheerful laugh as she ran the perimeter of the field, her eyes absolutely glowing in the sun. She looked so free in that moment that Eren couldn’t bring himself to look away, enamored by her endless spirit.

Furlan’s joyous shouts echoed in his ears as he chased the redhead, his hands filled with loose dirt while he himself had the same earth splattered all over him. Eren knew that the blonde could care less about his soiled garments, choosing to play Isabel’s game and have fun.

And finally, he vividly recalled Levi’s gentle smile as he looked on at his playing friends. His eyes were smothered with fondness and a smile graced his pink lips, making the raven look so vulnerable and innocent. Eren couldn’t understand how Levi could smile after all he had witnessed, but he applauded his friend for being able to move on.

The raven’s melodious laugh played on repeat in his brain, sounding so childlike and carefree that it made his heart beat a mile a minute. How could he leave this world to be destroyed when his friends resided in it? They shouldn’t have to live in a place where dying at the hands of the titans was the only way to go.

He would give them all a future outside these walls. They could all live peacefully again just like before, and he would once again be able to hear their laughs and see their smiles brightening up their features. They wouldn’t be shadowed by those monsters again, and they would be together as a family, just like he had wished for.

That reason, that dream, was why he fought these bastards without fear. His friends gave him the strength that he needed, and having them beside him in what could be humanity’s biggest obstacle was what he needed. With them by his side, as long as they were alive, he could keep on fighting to the best of his abilities.

Their destination was fast approaching, just a few feet away from the large rock that was their key to putting an end to the titans coming in. Eren didn’t see any titans anywhere near the rock, and although he detested the other soldiers for their disgraceful actions earlier, he had to admit that they were doing their jobs perfectly.

“Switch to maneuvering gear now! We’re almost there!” the blonde soldier, presumably the leader of the group, ordered. Immediately after, he flew away from the wall, going in between houses and buildings towards their goal.

Eren and the rest followed his directions, disappearing from the safety on top of the wall down below. As the wind caressed his face, Eren could see his friends all around him, expertly using their gear to safely travel through their obstacles. They were nothing but focused, three pairs of eyes staring straight ahead without hesitation.

“Everyone besides Eren, stay back! We’ll get caught in the crossfire once he transforms otherwise!” the blonde soldier advised as he slowed down, his cables keeping him suspended in the air. Eren could feel the anticipation building under his skin, his heart thrumming wildly as he neared the large rock.

This was where he went at it alone. It was decided earlier by Commander Pixis that while Eren would be provided with his protection squad, they couldn’t be anywhere near him when he transformed. The impact of the transformation could seriously injure and possibly kill them, and that was a risk that Eren didn’t want to take.

“Eren!” a loud voice called out to him, the wind surrounding him causing it to echo. The brunette turned, seeing Levi’s frame flying beside him, even when the others had stayed back a few feet behind them. The raven’s eyes were filled with trust, the feeling being directed towards him.

He gave Levi his undivided attention, knowing that this was most likely going to be the last thing he would hear. “You can do this! I believe in you, okay?” his childhood friend encouraged with a small smile. The honest words coming out of Levi made his confidence grow by the second.

He gave the raven a firm nod before he sped up, leaving his friend behind to the others. As much as it pained Eren to leave Levi, he reassured himself that it was for the best. Levi would be safe with the others and that was most important to him.

The destruction around him became more drastic, the usual houses completely destroyed and only the stone buildings still standing. The cause of such damage lay before him now, a sight for sore eyes. Eren had never once believed a large rock could be so important up until this point.

He heard the faint cries of the other soldiers, trying to fend off the hoarding titans as they reached for them. The sight of those inhumane beasts stirred something inside of him, and already having gone through this twice, he knew exactly what it was.

He couldn’t waste anymore time. It was now or never, and everyone was counting on him. His friends were somewhere back there, watching him as he went through with this. He couldn’t let them down when they needed him the most.

He successfully used one hand to keep himself stable in the air and the other was brought towards his mouth, jaws opening and prepared to bite. The previous fear he held over not being able to complete this mission had long since disappeared. He had no reason to second guess himself anymore. Levi and his friends gave him the strength to fight.

He would be able to control himself as long as he didn’t lose sight of his goal. _‘Seal the wall. Seal the wall. Seal the wall!’_ he reminded himself, biting into his hand with certainty. He felt a slight twinge of pain, but it was nothing he couldn’t handle.

The familiar sensation of his body heating up felt almost soothing, like the calm before a storm. His eyes didn’t stray away from the large rock, not allowing himself to forget his goal for even a second. The bright light, resembling a lightning bolt, blinded him, and the loud clap of thunder made his ears ring.

He never recalled being this in tune with the beginning of the transformation. Even the second time, when he was conscious, never made him aware of what was happening to him. But, as different as this felt, he could feel the rush of power pumping through his veins.

He closed his eyes, waiting impatiently for his form to manifest itself. The hot sensation now turned into a warm embrace, acting like a blanket with how it completely surrounded him. Unlike when he was inside that titan’s stomach, he didn’t feel out of his element. Here, it was like he was in control.

He could feel his titan as it finished becoming whole, steam pouring out of its body in waves. He opened his eyes and saw nothing but red tendons surrounding him, some even attached to his body. There were a couple on his arms, shoulders, torso, thighs, and feet. He assumed that this was how he stayed connected to his titan, giving him the ability to control it.

There was a weird sensation around his eyes, like there was something there that wasn’t before. It was unusual, but not something that he detested. In fact, nothing about his new titan being connected to him disgusted him. The rage he felt towards titans was still there, but it was different with himself now in the mix.

In contrast to the rest of his brethren, something that he would _never_ think about again, his titan wasn’t a killing machine. He didn’t kill, he didn’t eat, he didn’t destroy, so that already made him unique. He didn’t have the same lust for flesh towards humanity, and he felt lucky that while he was a beast, he still retained his human attributes.

He was in control of his titan, a difficult thing to understand at the moment. Even though he was inside of his titan form, he could see what it saw through its eyes. The sight before him shook him to the core and he felt his control slip a little.

 _‘No no no no no…’_ he thought frantically as he felt himself lose his composure. He reigned in his whirlwind of emotions, pushing his titan to stay calm and not do anything drastic. Even though he was essentially his titan’s commander, he needed to have a clear head and use his mind to control it.

If he let himself loose right now, then his titan would lash out, causing destruction to anything around it. That included his friends still somewhere behind him. If his titan noticed them in its crazed state, then it would attack and possibly kill them.

It was tedious work and required a lot of effort, but Eren supposed that in due time, with the help of training, he would be more in tune with his new acquaintance. For now, he would just need to stay focused enough and not let his emotions get the best of him. If he accomplished that, then nobody would get hurt and he wouldn’t be a waste.

Witnessing everything his titan did was a weird attribute, but it did give him an advantage. With his added height, he could see incoming danger and would be able to better protect his friends if they were at risk. Add to that his impeccable strength and he was a walking shield, something he didn’t mind if it kept his friends alive.

He could feel his pent up strength sizzling inside of him, just begging to be let out. Eren had never experienced this amount of power before, and he kind of liked it. It showed that he wasn’t weak like he once was and could now do something worth his while. But, just like he said before, he would not let himself lose control.

His sense of smell was noticeably heightened as well, and with it, he could trace his friends, who were steadily making their way towards him. He could distinguish Isabel and Furlan’s scent, them being so close that it was hard to miss.

But Levi’s scent was overpowering theirs. It attracted his titan and it immediately sought the raven out, relying on its nose to guide him. If he thought that Levi’s scent was strong when he was human, then as a titan, it was absolutely powerful.

His sweet aroma was so thick in the air that he could almost taste it. It appealed to both him and his titan, and he was shocked to find that the beast involuntary relaxed as more of the comforting smell was introduced. Why was Levi’s smell so addictive? How come it had such an effect on both him and his titan?

Eren mentally commanded for his titan to turn around and it followed his orders with ease, though he still needed to check on his emotions every once in a while. He saw his friends, accompanied by the other soldiers, edging closer, their forms so small from his high stature.

The three soldiers were still wary of him, proven when they situated themselves on a roof a few feet away from him. His friends, however, held no amount of unease as they confidently landed on the building beside his titan, three pairs of eyes gazing at him with different levels of shock and amazement.

“You did it, Eren! You’re in your first form!” Isabel shouted, her loud voice making his ears ring. She probably thought that he wouldn’t be able to hear her from his high stature. How wrong she was to think that. If he heard her voice that loud, then he felt incredibly bad for Furlan and Levi, who were right beside her.

“Isabel! You’re gonna rupture my ear drum if you don’t lower your voice!” Furlan scolded as he held his left ear with a grimace. Levi only glared at the redhead, irritation noticeable on his pale features. Isabel sulked at being on the receiving end of their disapproving looks and obediently quieted down.

Eren wanted to speak to them, but he couldn’t even begin to try that. Titans couldn’t speak and the only things he could voice were roars, growls, and screams. Other than that, he was mute. With no other way to communicate, he simply looked at them, hoping they would be able to read his face like when he was human.

“We don’t have time for you four to chit chat! Eren, you have a job to do so get going!” the blonde soldier ordered impatiently. Eren looked over at the others, his skinless mouth opening slightly to let steam escape. His dark hair clouded his vision, but his keen eyesight caught the three veterans looking at him skeptically.

They had their blades drawn in front of them and their eyes were guarded, still untrusting him, especially now that he was in his true titan form. Eren knew logically that they had no reason to trust him, but he still thought that it was ridiculous of them to act so cold towards his new appearance.

However, he understood that this situation was urgent and he needed to finish the task he was assigned. He turned away from his companions and looked down at the large rock that lay before him. While its size hadn’t changed, it now looked so much smaller, almost like a pebble.

As he made a move to pick it up, he heard Furlan’s voice from up on top of the roof of a house. “Don’t strain yourself, Eren! Pace yourself!” he worriedly advised. Eren huffed, his jaws opening, causing a puff of steam to escape him. That was the one thing that he couldn’t afford to do right now!

He needed to seal up that wall as fast as possible before their situation got even worse. Things were calm for now, he couldn’t smell any titans lingering around, but that could all change in the blink of an eye. Titans varied in size and there might be a small class titan roaming around.

He ignored Furlan’s concerns and continued to crouch down towards the rock. His large hands grasped the clumped earth and small pieces of it crumbled. Eren eased his hands underneath it and used his large legs to lift himself back up. During his training days, he learned that one shouldn’t lift heavy objects with their back.

As he straightened himself out, he lifted the rock over his head, being extremely careful as to not let his possession slip. From inside his titan, Eren clenched his teeth, feeling the strain on his muscles. He may be strong, but transforming three times in less than an hour was extremely tiring on his body, both human and titan.

He could feel his control waver, and he stopped himself from making anymore movement. This was definitely not the time to go crazy, what with him having his prize in his hands. If he let himself loose, then that rock would be his weapon against whoever was closest to him. Sparing a glance behind him, he saw his three friends all in the same spots, looking at him with worried expressions.

 _‘I can’t let them get hurt! I’m supposed to protect them!’_ he thought valiantly. He successfully controlled his temper and felt his muscles relax, but not too much that he would lose his grip on the rock on his neck. He turned away from his friends and looked for his ultimate destination.

The part of the wall that was breached was towards the left of him, its cracks littering the once previously indestructible stone. It looked incredibly ugly, especially with the blood surrounding it. Eren growled, the rumbling sound coming out fierce and animal-like. Getting his bearings, he took a step forward, his foot making the ground shake slightly.

His eyes never strayed from their gaze on the breached wall, reminding him every step of the way what his main objective was. Once he sealed it off, and he would, he’d be able to run wild on those other titans, just to relieve that tense energy brewing in him. The thought of taking apart those titans one by one thrilled him to no end.

As he moved, he heard the sound of cables flying through the air near him. His friends, plus the other three, were following him, providing backup in case he needed it. They were also keeping an eye on his behavior, waiting if he lost control and needed to be taken out.

His friends wouldn’t do that, but the others showed no hesitance towards that idea. They had their jobs just like him and they would carry it out when the situation called for it. Eren just hoped that it wouldn’t come to that. He really didn’t want to die today, or anytime soon.

Things were going well, in fact, maybe a bit too well. Eren felt uneasy, his skin crawling like there were hundreds of ants all over him. His agitation affected his titan, the beast moving at a much slower pace and the beginnings of a growl emitting from its throat.

His titan was acting like a caged animal with nowhere to turn to. Something wasn’t right here, Eren knew that for a fact. Things were too quiet, especially with dozens of titans around. While Eren enjoyed the fact that nothing was in his way, he still felt uncomfortable. There were some titans that picked their spots just right to get their hands on a meal.

Like the one that ate Thomas.

They kept quiet, even with their gigantic frames, and were willing to wait for as long as they needed to so that they could capture at least one human. And, even though the other soldiers did a good job of luring the titans away, there was no guarantee that all of them were occupied.

Like the one coming towards him right now!

Its size was smaller than his own, maybe about ten meters, but that didn’t really matter at the moment. His hands were full, literally, so he couldn’t properly defend himself against it. He sneered in disgust, continuing onward as he kept his attentive eyes on the approaching titan.

 _‘Not only are they monsters, but cowards too. Those sons of bitches,’_ he thought venomously. He should have expected one of them to make their move once he was fully occupied. They must have realized that he was a threat to them and could smell his human side. They always managed to find their prey, even when they were hiding. Well, some of them at least.

Eren sure got the luck of the draw with this titan. It was getting impossibly closer, its wide eyes popping out of its sockets as it lumbered over. Its pot-bellied form jiggled with each step, further disgusting him to the point where he thought he would throw up.

From the corner of his eye, he saw as a cable launched itself towards the titan, successfully puncturing its thick skin near its neck. A body soon followed, flying at top speed towards the beast and easily maneuvering around the titan’s arm as it swung, attempting to swat away whoever it was.

Raven-black hair shined under the sun, and Eren watched as Levi quickly sliced the titan’s nape open with deadly precision. It was a clean cut and the titan began to fall, its life fading away. It crumbled to the ground, bringing up dust and dirt, which clouded the sky.

Levi sprang up onto another roof, his steel eyes watching the fallen titan. Eren could see how tight his grip was on his blades, and he wouldn’t be surprised if they would shatter any minute now. Still, at least the threat was dealt with.

He kept walking, never once faltering even though his strength was slowly deteriorating. Apparently having heard the commotion, more titans appeared from the large cluster and blocked his way, some more aggressive than others.

But Eren never stopped, confident that his friends would handle them. And how right he was. His three companions, accompanied closely by the others, made quick work of the titans. The sound of blades slicing through skin was oddly satisfying to him, and it quelled his anger and bloodlust.

They all fell like their imaginary strings had been cut loose, littering the path he was walking on. His squad stayed close, flying beside him as lookout against other titans. Many more soldiers appeared, wanting to deal with the escaping beasts, but instead of helping, they just made things even harder.

With more humans coming in, the more titans appeared. They were getting bored of just standing around and once some began to move, they clumsily followed after them. The soldiers were leading the titans straight to him, an act that was definitely not supposed to happen!

 _‘Those morons! What the hell are they doing?!’_ Eren thought angrily as he watched the ever-growing group of soldiers. They weren’t using their heads! They were supposed to lead the titans towards the other side of the district until he sealed the wall. Then, and only then, they could move freely and attack the titans still inside.

Commander Pixis sure wasn’t going to be happy about this turn of events. He had been strict about following the plan, and he would have never allowed this type of idiocy to happen. If only he was here right now to get things back in order. Unfortunately, he was too far away and wouldn’t be able to make it here fast enough.

That meant that he and his friends had to deal with them until this mission was over. Hopefully it would be soon, because Eren didn’t think he’d be able to hold onto his control any longer. His hold was slipping and he was getting weaker, small clusters of steam pouring from his body.

More titans were getting in his way, and it was making him agitated beyond his limits. His growls were coming out more often, the baritone low and dangerous. Still, the titans never gave up, but they were ultimately forced to when their napes were cut apart by skilled blades.

Some soldiers couldn’t get the job done and were eaten, but Eren couldn’t focus on a small detail like that. If they were stupid enough to lead the titans here, then maybe they deserved to die. At least they learned their lesson about thinking before they acted.

His friends never left his side, even when the titans became more than what they could handle. They each killed as many as they could, which was far more than any other soldier, and left the rest to the others behind them. Blood was being spilt, but luckily not theirs.

Eren was so close to the wall, now only about a few more paces left. His body though wasn’t cooperating with his orders, faltering and wobbling much more often. His knees were bent slightly, the weight of the rock at his shoulders and his fatigue getting in the way. The steam being produced from his body was getting thicker and hotter.

Eren could feel his eyes drooping and his muscles were screaming at him to stop and rest, at least just for a little while. Still, he couldn’t allow himself that luxury right now. When this was all over, then he could rest as much as he’d like. It would only be a few more minutes.

One good thing about the titans being near him was that they were easier to kill. The huge cluster of them had been dramatically reduced to a few in the double digits, but they also suffered many casualties on their end. For every titan that was killed, it meant that at least one soldier was dead.

They were running low on manpower, and if he didn’t get his job done in the next minute, then they would be at a serious disadvantage without him to help out. He may be tired, but he still had some gas left in the tank for a few more rounds.

“Eren! Hurry and get to the wall! There aren’t any titans around you, so this is your chance!” Levi called out to him from the nearby rooftops, his gaze never leaving from their position in front of him. His quick orbs looked for any obstacles in his path, but just like he said, there were no titans.

They were all behind him, being dealt with by the other soldiers. The screams of both titans and humans drummed in his large ears and it spurred Eren on, willing himself to take advantage of the small distraction. This chance wouldn’t happen again and if he missed this, then it would be all over.

He pushed his feet forward, heels digging into the earth as he lifted the rock slightly from his shoulders. His forearms ached from the effort, but he managed to keep them steady as his eyes zeroed in on his target. Now that he was close, he could see the shadows of titans on the other side, a few feet away from getting inside.

 _‘Not today, bastards,’_ Eren denied sharply as he used his strength to bring the rock forward. Parts of it were crumbling, caused by his trembling fingers, but it was still big enough to do its job of sealing the wall. He braced himself on his heels, digging his feet into the dirt as leverage.

He bent his right leg while his left was pulled behind him, all of his momentum pooling in his calves. He could still hear the fighting going on behind him, the titans’ roars and humans screaming sounding like a battle cry, filled with despair, anger, determination, and fear.

In the midst of it all, Eren could detect his friends’ location, their scents above the rest. Even the blood pooling on the ground wasn’t enough to mask them from his keen senses. They were still fighting, using every bit of their strength and skill to bring an end to the titans. Judging by the loud thump of heavy bodies hitting the ground one by one, they were doing a pretty good job.

“What are you waiting for, Eren?! We don’t have all day!” Isabel reminded as she took a break from the fighting, her blades dull and covered in blood. His cousin’s words brought him out of his state and he growled low in his throat, his hands stabilizing under the rock. It was above his head now, just waiting for him to put it in its place.

 _‘Come on! You can do it!’_ he encouraged himself. He couldn’t let himself lose focus when he was so close to his objective. _‘Just use that strength deep inside of you! It’s there, I know it is, you just have to bring it out!’_ he said as he pushed himself so that he was almost touching the wall.

The rock felt so heavy in his arms, even with his enhanced strength. Where was that power he talked about? Why wasn’t it bubbling out like it usually did? Was he just too weak? Was the pressure just too much for his body to handle? Or was it because he was faltering in his control? Was his titan’s state prohibiting his power from coming out?

The sound of a cable being snapped in half made his ear twitch, the appendage incredibly observant even in his state. A mixture between a groan and a yell laced with pain echoed in his ears, followed by the sound of something hitting against a hard surface. Without even realizing it, Eren turned away from the breached wall and flicked his gaze behind him, his instincts telling him that something was wrong.

There was something that needed his immediate attention, and the fact that he knew who had made that noise made his control slip just a bit more. He saw that the soldiers were still battling the titans, but when he saw a body slumped on the ground, with no protection, he felt his body freeze.

The dull blonde hair was a dead giveaway to who the person was, and Eren watched in horror as the body didn’t move a single inch. There were small pieces of wood littered around, surrounding the person and some even on his body. He was knocked out, unconscious to the world around him.

It was _Furlan._

His uniform was stained with dirt, and even from his angle, Eren could see that he was bleeding from a cut on his forehead, probably from the wood he landed on. His blades were quite a distance away, rendering him defenseless on the ground, susceptible to any kind of attack.

“Furlan!” Isabel cried out in alarm, her face shining with fear. However, the boy didn’t seem to hear her call, oblivious to her feelings of concern. His eyes were closed, but his chest rose with every breath he took, signaling that he was in fact alive.

But maybe not for long since a titan was well on its way over to him.

Its emaciated body hovered over his still form, watching him like he was the most fascinating thing in the world. The dark shadow blanketed Furlan, making him hard to see. Eren watched, his hold on the rock tightening with every second that passed.

Furlan was about to be eaten and there was nothing he could do to help. He was still busy with the rock in his hands, and his two remaining friends were having trouble dealing with their own titans. Their desperate calls to the blonde fell on deaf ears, and nobody else made an attempt to save him.

The titan slowly crouched down, its hungry eyes roaming Furlan’s body. The action made Eren’s blood boil and he narrowed his eyes in anger, his body tensing up like never before. That titan had the audacity to stare at his friend like he was a piece of meat! It was going to devour him, and Furlan would be gone!

His friend, his family, would be taken away from him again! Furlan, the nicest person he had ever known, was going to die and he didn’t even know it. He was practically already dead, laying on the ground without any type of backup or protection.

Furlan was going to _die!_

Eren, after controlling his titan for so long, just _snapped._ His jaws opened and a ferocious roar tore its way out of his throat, shaking the ground with its power. The energy he had lost was coming back again, that hidden strength making itself known at the sight of his friend being left for dead.

He used his powerful legs to push forward, closing the distance between him and the wall in seconds. The rock in his hands was pushed towards it, and he used his strength to lodge it into the breach, effectively stopping the titans on the other side from getting in.

But he didn’t think about the sealed wall, that accomplishment disappearing from his train of thought almost as soon as he completed it. He turned around and ran at full speed towards the titan that was closest to Furlan. It looked up, stopping its advance as he roared again.

He pulled his arm back and his eyes flashed in anger as he maintained eye contact with the other. He brought his arm forward quickly and aimed a strong punch at the titan’s face, the impact causing its head to be snapped off with no difficulty.

The titan flew away and crashed to the ground a few feet away, its head right beside it as he let steam erupt from his mouth. His eyes were dangerous behind his curtain of hair, and he felt his control leave his body. No way would he be able to control himself now.

His friend was almost killed right in front of him. Furlan needed him to protect him, and that was exactly what he did. No matter who he was facing, be it a human or a titan, he would always protect his friends from harm. That was his job, and he took it very seriously.

He stood in front of Furlan, who still didn’t wake up, and faced everyone around him. Both species looked at him, the titans with blank faces while the humans had several degrees of shock. He ignored the soldiers and ran at every single titan, tearing them apart individually until there was nothing left of them.

His quest to see them bleed overtook him and a red haze clouded his vision. He didn’t even know what he was doing, but when he finally allowed himself to calm down, the scent of titans almost non existent, he saw the soldiers looking at him.

They had their blades drawn defensively and their bodies quivered in fear. Maybe he did go a bit overboard with his rage, but what did they expect of him? Surely they knew about his loyalty and protectiveness over his friends. They must’ve known that he wouldn’t prioritize anything over them.

He took a glance at Furlan and saw that Isabel was beside him, pulling the blonde closer to her carefully. She watched his head and placed herself between him and the rest, but she gave Eren a thankful nod. Confident that Furlan wasn’t in any sort of danger, he focused his attention back on the soldiers.

He felt a cable suddenly dig into his shoulder and saw as Levi landed on him, an unreadable expression on his face. Eren looked him over and found that the raven had no injuries littering his body, making him relax. Now that he wasn’t in an uncontrollable rage, the weariness was beginning to catch up to him.

He let out one final growl, a warning to any lingering titans to stay away, and his knees gave out. He dropped to the ground, but Levi grabbed a hold of him to remain stable on his body. Eren could feel his body deteriorating quickly, and he attempted to swat Levi away from him so that the steam wouldn’t burn him.

After his third failed attempt, Levi seemed to have understood what he was trying to do and obediently backed away from him. He was safe from his steam, but not too far away in case he needed help. His face was composed, but his eyes held every emotion he wasn’t letting the other soldiers see.

The raven was worried about him and Furlan, no doubt. The blonde was out of commission and he was about to pass out because of exhaustion. He used up everything he had with that last stunt, and he was fairly sure the others were going to resume where they had left off.

His upper body collapsed, his face shoved in the dirt. Inside, Eren could feel the tendons snapping apart and the skin above him becoming thin. Once his arms and hands were free, he pulled his head away from his titan and managed to break the skin fairly easily.

The steam was uncomfortable, but the cool air helped to even it out. He wearily opened his eyes, his sight blurry and the sun blinding him for a moment. He wasn’t used to being in sunlight since it was dark inside his titan. He heard running footsteps and felt as the tendons attached to his thighs and legs were severed, a sharp blade slicing through them.

Having no type of support to hold his body up caused him to fall forward, his state making it impossible to use any of his strength. An arm was wrapped around the front of his chest, preventing him from getting a face full of hot skin. His arm was lifted over a shoulder while the hand that was over his chest disappeared and was loosely wrapped around his midsection.

The person stood up and pulled Eren as well, but his legs wobbled with the effort. They began to walk away from the titan’s steaming corpse as slowly as possible, Eren’s feet dragging them down even as he tried to help carry the baggage. Now that he wasn’t smelling rotting flesh, Eren took a deep breath and all he could detect was Levi beside him.

His skin was warm, but not overly hot, and his hold was gentle as the pale teen maneuvered him away from the others. There was whispering going on around him, but Eren didn’t care what they were talking about. Levi stopped and Eren was laid down on the ground, his knees the only support he had.

He opened his eyes again, not even realizing that he had closed them, and saw as Levi crouched down beside him. He still looked worried, so in order to ease him, Eren gave him a crooked smile. Levi’s lips quirked up in amusement and his hand squeezed his shoulder.

“You did it, Eren. You sealed the wall,” he whispered so that nobody else could hear him. Eren nodded, the realization finally coming back to him. He had done it. He did his job, he did something right. No more innocents were killed and the titans were taken care of. They didn’t lose Trost District like he had lost his home. He had saved Wall Rose.

It filled his chest with warmth knowing that he was useful. Commander Pixis believed in him to carry out this plan and he did it. Maybe there were a few bumps along the way, but he accomplished his task either way. He gave Levi a wide grin, even though it hurt to do so. Every part of his body ached, not a single area spared from the pain.

Levi could see it too. He was gentle with his touches and didn’t go overboard with his ministrations, preferring to let him settle on his own. He remembered Furlan’s condition and was about to ask Levi how the blonde was doing, but the sound of a throat clearing caught his attention instead.

One of the Garrison soldiers, a veteran no doubt, stood in front of him, his blades drawn and face tense. His eyes looked at him in disgust, like just seeing him made his stomach churn. “What?” Levi asked sharply, his own weapons out in defense.

The officer didn’t even spare the raven a glance, preferring to keep his eyes on Eren. “Eren Yeager, you are hereby detained by the officers of the Military Police. We will escort you to where you will be imprisoned until further notice of your fate is revealed,” he announced, his voice rough and demanding.

As soon as he finished, two other officers came forward from their place with the rest and made a move to grab him. Eren just stared, confused. Why was he being imprisoned at a time like this? Didn’t he prove to them that he wasn’t an enemy? He sealed the wall! That must account for something, no?

“Like hell you are!” Levi exclaimed as he stood up to block the two officers’ way. “Can’t you see that he needs medical attention?! He’s in no way, shape, or form able to withstand being imprisoned without any aid,” he explained. From his point of view on the floor, Eren saw how tense Levi was, his back muscles pulled tight.

“Those are our orders, young man. He’ll be checked out by a local doctor, but only when he’s secure in his cell. But don’t worry, you’ll get to see him again when his trial is announced. We need to interrogate him, after all,” the officer said. Eren wasn’t sure if he imagined it or not, but he could have sworn he heard a hint of glee in the man’s voice.

“Why is he being put on trial?! Hasn’t he proved to all of you bastards that he’s not going to kill us?! If he didn’t seal up that wall, you all would’ve been dead by now!” Levi defended. When the two officers made a move forward, the raven stepped up and shoved his two blades on either side of him, preventing them from getting closer.

“He went crazy after he sealed the wall! He lost control and almost killed us in his blind rage!” the officer yelled, losing his sophisticated composure. “The only reason he did that was because our friend was hurt and about to be eaten! Which, by the way, _you_ caused by leading the titans here!” Levi clarified. He didn’t back down, even when he would suffer the consequences.

“Such a thing doesn’t matter! He needs to be trialed and his fate will be decided then. He’s a titan, and humanity needs to decide what to do with him,” the man finalized. He ordered for the two officers to grab Eren, and the brunette felt his arms being grasped way too tightly. He groaned as he was roughly dragged by the officers away from Levi.

He wanted to fight, to defend himself, but he didn’t have any strength left. The only thing he could do was let these officers lead him away to his doom, where in a few days, he would be judged to see if he got to live or die. At this point, he wasn’t feeling so good about his options.

He weakly turned around at the sound of grunts and thumps against the ground. He heard Levi calling out his name, and he watched as the raven was being held back by many soldiers at once, some laying on the ground with cuts, bruises, or just knocked out.

“If I see even the smallest of bruises on his body, I’ll end all of you! _I promise!_ ” Levi vowed as he glared at the officer, who gulped at the raven’s threat. Eren mentally chuckled at Levi’s brash words, knowing full well that he would actually go through with it if he was forced to.

Seeing Levi acting like a wild animal was the last thing he saw before the officers pulled him further away from the group, the other officers blocking his sight. He closed his eyes, the drowsiness pulling him into a deep sleep.

He heard Levi’s loud cry of, “EREN!!!” before he lost consciousness, unaware of what would happen to him once he woke up.


	16. Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He could do absolutely nothing, and he hated it. Being forced to stand idly by and watch as those pompous bastards tossed Eren’s life back and forth like it was a ball and they were playing a game sickened him. How could they think of his life so poorly? How could they view Eren as this horrific monster that would hurt them? They didn’t know who he really was, they didn’t know the kind heart that resided in his chest, they knew nothing. And they most likely never would if Eren’s life was tossed away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...uh, hey, everyone! *nervous laugh* It’s been a long time, hasn’t it? Two weeks to be exact, I think. I’m so sorry that I didn’t update last week. School was occupying most of my time, but I also went away for the weekend, and I couldn’t post cause there was no service.
> 
> I also wasn’t even finished with this chapter, so I decided to wait instead of rushing. Hopefully this will make up for it. I wish I could say that this won’t happen again, but it will for sure. I’m actually thinking about updating every other week, and right now, I think that’s a great idea.
> 
> Still, I hope you all enjoy this chapter! It took a while to finish it, so that should mean it’s going to be good. If you find any mistakes, then let me know and I’ll look into it.
> 
> Remember to leave comments and/or kudos! They make me feel giddy and loved!
> 
> This chapter will be in Levi’s POV.
> 
> *Takes place about a week after the Battle for Trost.*

Levi, to put it mildly, was a wreck.

He didn’t know what to do at a time like this, his mind telling him one thing but his heart another. It was like he was being forced to choose between two sides of the same coin, each bringing forth their own consequences and advantages. He literally felt like his brain was ready to explode any minute now.

Too many things were happening at once for him to properly focus. From his chores being completed, to him getting through his own punishment for his actions a few days prior, worrying about Furlan’s condition, which wasn’t all that serious to begin with, but still, and now this new piece of information being thrown at his face.

When he had been cleaning one of the barracks earlier, he didn’t expect for his usual punishment to be put to an abrupt halt. There were still days left until he would be free from his chores, but apparently, someone decided to pardon him much earlier than expected and throw a bombshell on him.

It was actually Hanji, whom he would only call her by her proper title in the presence of other superior officers, who broke the news to him. That crazy woman had barged in the room he was residing in and yelled out at the top of her lungs that he needed to see the paper, which was being crumpled up in her hands.

He had immediately dropped whatever he was doing and snatched the paper from the scientist’s hands, an action he had been doing whenever someone had a hold of it. He wanted to see if any word of Eren was somewhere on the text, but as of recently, he didn’t have any such luck.

Today, however, that wasn’t the case. As soon as he laid eyes on that paper, big, bold letters captured his attention and the words made his heart freeze for just a split second. **‘EREN YEAGER TO BE TRIALED THIS EVENING. MEMBERS OF SURVEY CORPS AND MILITARY POLICE TO BE IN ATTENDANCE.’**

He had read those words over and over again until his eyes started to hurt. On one hand, he was happy to hear about Eren’s upcoming trial, but another part of him was fearful of what could happen. He would get to see Eren again and it would give the brunette a chance to escape from his cell, which was sure to be dirty.

But if it was decided that Eren was to be killed, then that would absolutely break him. There would be nothing he could do to change their minds, as he wasn’t a superior officer or something like that. He would be forced to watch as Eren’s life was taken away from him and his friends for the second time.

As much as that possibility frightened him, he wasn’t going to stay here while such an important discussion was going to take place. He had in that moment made the decision to go to Eren’s trial and he would take Isabel and Furlan with him. They deserved to see their friend too.

It was just his luck that all three of them were scheduled to participate in Eren’s trial. Hanji had apparently gotten a letter from the person who would act as the judge, Darius Zackly, and it stated that the general wanted each of them present, no excuses. Like Levi would miss the opportunity to see Eren again.

He had muttered a quick thanks to Hanji and sped out of the room in search of his two friends, ultimately finding them in Furlan’s private room. The blonde suffered a mild concussion when he was flung into the roof of the house days prior and he was ordered by Hanji to rest for about a week or so.

When Levi told them the news and showed them the paper, they freaked out and demanded to be taken to Wall Sina immediately. Levi didn’t argue with them, his impatience to get to Eren overtaking him. All three of them had went to meet up with Hanji once again, since the scientist was going as well, and the ponytail-haired woman agreed with them.

Levi had a feeling that it wasn’t necessarily about the trial she was so urgent to get to, but Eren himself. Because of Furlan’s condition and Hanji being his nurse, he and the scientist had been spending quite some time together. Any free time he had, he spent it in Furlan’s room, keeping an eye on his friend while he rested.

He and Isabel took turns keeping Furlan company, so they both knew Hanji very well. In that time period, the woman had talked and talked about her titan studies until it was time to go to bed, or in Levi’s case, until he physically shut her up. Her voice just got on his nerves after a while, and she wouldn’t stay still otherwise.

She told them about her little experiments on the titans she had captured and all of the theories she was working on to try and figure out more about titan biology. Levi, personally, didn’t find anything interesting about her titan obsession, but Hanji was completely engrossed in her studies.

He knew she wanted Eren to be in custody of the Survey Corps because she wanted to experiment and run tests on him, and that bothered him on so many levels. Eren wasn’t a lab rat and he couldn’t be poked and prodded unless he allowed it. He also didn’t want his friend to be touched by Hanji’s dirty hands. Who knows what things she does on her free time and Levi didn’t want Eren to catch an infection of some kind.

But, she did have a point when she said that being used in her experiments, where she would give him free reign, was much better than being at the hands of the Military Police. As much as Levi was annoyed with Hanji, he did trust her to some degree with Eren.

Hanji had led them to the carriage that would escort the four of them, along with many more Survey Corps members, to Wall Sina for Eren’s trial. Everyone who was scheduled to participate was already there and once their plans were made, which Levi tried to listen to, they crammed into their transportation and headed off.

That was a couple of hours ago and now here he was, standing in a stuffy room with Isabel and Furlan on either side of him, just waiting for Eren to come through those double doors. He felt anxious and his palms were sweaty, but he willed himself to remain composed in the presence of the Military Police. His face was blank, but on the inside, he was freaking out and his emotions were all over the place.

The room they were all in was small, the walls painted a light grey and a few chairs scattered along them. The double doors were huge, their size almost intimidating. In the middle of the room, there was a raised platform with a long pole in the center, stuck to the floor with some type of covering.

On each of the four corners of the platform were small stands, all black except for the very top, which was a gold color. Behind the stands were a row of bars, the members of the Military Police, with a few merchants, on one side while members of the Survey Corps were on the other.

Some of the officers at the very front had pistols on them, and Levi didn’t like the fact that they were still trying to kill Eren. Didn’t they have any shame at all? The merchants were whispering to each other, but Levi couldn’t hear them from his far position.

To his left, there was another platform with a tall podium, and behind it sat Darius Zackly, the one who would decide Eren’s fate. The two sides could argue all they wanted, but it was ultimately Zackly’s decision. Him being the general of the Survey Corps, Garrison, and Military Police ensured that one side didn’t have an advantage over the other.

Zackly was an older man, with grey hair at his temples and a full beard covering his face, also grey. His glasses covered his eyes from view as he stared at something on his podium, presumably papers and documents. He looked serious, face blank as he waited for Eren.

Levi just wished that the trial would start already. At least then something would happen and he wouldn’t just be standing here like a moron. He didn’t know how much more he could handle before he snapped and looked for Eren himself.

The Military Police officers were mumbling to each other, probably wondering what the best course of action was to win this trial. Levi knew that they were sneaky bastards, but he could be one too and he would do anything to make sure that Eren stayed alive and was given back to him.

“You look like you’re about to lose it,” Isabel whispered to him, her eyes glancing at him for a moment before returning to their previous position. Her gaze was locked on the opposite soldiers, eyes stern and unflinching. She knew what those people wanted to do to Eren, and it didn’t sit well with her.

Levi noticed a change in Isabel the past few days. Ever since Eren was taken away, she had become more serious and didn’t talk as much as she used to. He knew that it was because she was worried for Eren’s safety, something that he shared. The possibility of Eren’s death happening put her on edge.

“You’re not doing better yourself,” he reminded just as quietly. He wanted to look at her and tell her that things were going to be okay, but he just didn’t think that was possible. They had a small percentage of winning this trial and if some of those Military Police were as good with their words as he thought, then it would only make it harder for them.

There was no response from the redhead, and he took that as the end of their short conversation. Levi wasn’t in a talking mood right now and neither were his friends, so they simply stayed quiet and listened to the chatter going on around them. The merchants weren’t exactly hiding their intentions with this trial, as they kept on pointing at them and giving them snarky looks.

 _‘If only I could go up there and kick their asses,’_ Levi thought venomously as he glared at a merchant that was looking at him. The older man quickly averted his gaze and he took that as a small victory. The only reason why he was being so calm and still was because he didn’t want to ruin Eren’s chances of getting out alive.

He and everyone else waited for about ten more minutes, which felt like an hour, until he heard footsteps coming from outside. They got closer with each passing second and Levi felt his heart beating a mile a minute. When they abruptly stopped just outside the double doors, he held his breath and could feel Isabel and Furlan’s anxiousness wafting from their bodies.

The wooden doors were opened by two officers, their gazes blank and pistols carried over their shoulders for extra protection. The sight of the weapons unnerved Levi, knowing full well that they were loaded and ready to be used at a moment’s notice.

He completely ignored the two officers, looking behind them to hopefully catch a glimpse of Eren. When the people still in the hall finally stepped inside, Levi’s mouth parted slightly as he saw a head full of brown hair. His heart relaxed in his chest now that he could physically see Eren’s body.

The brunette didn’t look as bad as he thought, and he let his desperate eyes roam Eren’s form for any signs of malnourishment or abuse. When he threatened to kill the captain a few days ago if Eren was hurt under their supervision, he wasn’t joking. He would cut apart just about anyone if it meant that Eren would have one less bruise to live with.

He found no type of bruising or any sort of punishment on the bits of skin that was shown to him, but he had no idea of what could be hidden under Eren’s buttoned shirt and brown trousers. He didn’t look to be in any sort of pain or discomfort, just nervous and antsy as his green eyes surveyed the room.

When green met blue, it was like Levi’s whole perception changed. He didn’t think about his friends or the other people in the room with him, all that captured his attention being Eren’s smoldering eyes burning his very soul. There was relief shining in them, and Eren never once looked away from him.

A large hand pushed Eren’s back, forcing the brunette to walk forward. It caused those green eyes to shift to the man behind him, a small hint of annoyance visible on Eren’s face. Levi glared at the tall blonde walking behind Eren, his blue eyes following his every movement. In his opinion, that man was standing way too close to his friend and Eren looked uncomfortable in his presence.

The symbol on the blonde’s jacket showed that he was a member of the Survey Corps, and Levi guessed that he was one of the captains or something like that. Hanji, who he had just noticed, was walking away from the duo and took her place on their side of the room, her face unusually serious as her hands were clasped behind her back.

Levi watched as Eren was led to the raised platform in the middle of the room, being mindful of the sets of eyes watching the brunette. The merchants and some of the officers of the Military Police couldn’t wipe the disgust off their faces at the sight of Eren, and Levi felt his jaw tighten in response.

The blonde soldier freed Eren from his handcuffs momentarily and forced him to kneel on the ground, making Levi narrow his eyes. Eren wasn’t a damn dog! Why the hell would he be put in such an embarrassing position in front the most important members of the two branches? It was utterly humiliating.

Eren obeyed without a hassle and his arms were pulled back, his hands on either side of the metal pole as a second pair of handcuffs were shacked to his wrists. The metal chain binding the two cuffs together was incredibly short, preventing Eren from moving around too much. Levi saw as his friend played around with the chains, but he ultimately stopped and looked at all the faces in the room.

He quickly swept through the members of the Military Police, refusing to give them his full attention, before he focused on their side of the room. He took his time, and when his eyes landed on Isabel and Furlan, he maintained eye contact with them for quite some time.

Levi heard Isabel’s breath quiver and Furlan swallow, their reactions to seeing Eren in such a way making them uneasy. It was clear that they didn’t take too kindly to seeing their friend chained up like a wild animal. Eren eventually looked away from them and turned his attention to him, making Levi unable to avert his eyes.

He didn’t know if Eren did it involuntarily or not, but he noticed that the brunette leaned forward in his direction, making the chains clink against the metal pole behind him. The noise was loud in the silent room, the mumblings having disappeared the moment he entered the small space.

In response, some of the officers lifted their pistols slightly in warning, their gazes transfixed on Eren. Levi noticed this and he shook his head slightly, silently telling Eren to not do anything drastic like that again. If even the slightest movement was made, then those pistols would fire. Eren nodded once, trying to relax and he leaned back to his previous position.

The pistols were put away momentarily, the officers no longer feeling threatened by Eren’s behavior. Levi felt his body lose a bit of tension now that his friend wasn’t being threatened to be shot, but this trial would no doubt stress him out for as long as it transpired. Only until Eren was back with him and safe would he truly relax again.

The merchants began to mumble again, their gazes even more fierce as the seconds ticked by. But, apparently wanting to get the trail started, Zackley cleared his throat, the noise sounding like a cannonball landing on the ground. The people quieted down instantly, and Levi felt grateful towards the general for shutting them up. He didn't know home much longer he could stand to hear their pathetic voices. 

He was also very eager to get this trial over with. Eren’s life was hanging in the balance and the man who held all the cards was Zackly. The good thing was that the general had many experiences with trials like this. He may not have had a case where the one being accused was a titan shifter, but each one he judged was extremely important. He wasn't a vain man and he didn’t let public opinion steer him from his judgement.

“The trial of Eren Yeager will now commence!” Zackly declared, his deep voice a booming echo that made Levi’s ears ring. Everyone straightened their postures, wanting to appear professional and confident. Such things were very important in cases like this since the judge took into account how the person held themselves. If they appeared skeptical with their decision, then that would lower their chances of winning the case.

Levi cooled his expression, not letting the others see his emotions. They would only feed off them and use it against him, something that he wouldn’t allow. He wasn’t a toy to be played with whenever one so chooses. Only he could decide what his actions and feelings could work towards. And he’d be damned before he’d let himself fall into the Military Police’s trap.

Still, he didn’t let his gaze leave Eren for even a second. He wanted to keep an eye on him in case the brunette got ahead of himself and did something that could be seen as threatening. During the ride here, Hanji had specifically told him to do anything that was within his power to calm Eren down in case he let his temper get the best of him. The brunette was known to do that quite a bit, though not as frequently now.

Likewise, Eren kept on flicking his eyes back to him whenever he took a chance to examine his surroundings a little more. He was nervous, that much Levi knew, but every other emotion had washed away from Eren’s face. He looked serious, green eyes meeting the looks from the Military Police head on, defiantly standing his ground even when he was forced into a kneeling position.

“Eren Yeager,” Zackly called, putting an end to Levi’s train of thought. Said teen broke eye contact with him and faced the general, attempting to look as calm as possible. “Sir?” he answered immediately, giving the older man his full attention. It was odd seeing Eren so respectful towards the general, not because the brunette wasn’t capable of such a thing, but because of the fact that Zackly had an affiliation with the Garrison.

From a very young age, Eren had absolutely detested anything having to do with the branch. Seeing them almost everyday sitting around and not doing their jobs properly led him to harbor that hatred against them. Even when someone mentioned the branch, the brunette would sneer and whisper about how useless they were. Levi too had a hard time accepting the Garrison as a worthy part of the military, but not as much as Eren. The only person Eren didn’t hate from the Garrison was Hannes, the man that saved them years ago and sacrificed himself to keep them safe.

“You are here today to answer for your questionable actions on the day that the Colossus Titan breached Wall Rose. You revealed yourself to be a titan shifter, the first one to be recorded for as long as humanity has lived in this world. Now, your ability to successfully seal the wall will be known to be a heroic deed, but there are still occurrences that make us wary of your new abilities,” Zackly began, his eyes scanning one of the documents he held in his hand.

Levi swallowed as he heard the last few words leave the older man’s mouth. Zackly wasn’t going to ignore Eren’s good intentions, but that in itself wasn’t going to help Eren get himself out of here. His friend needed as much support as he could get from the Survey Corps in order to not end up in the Military Police’s hands. If they didn’t see Eren’s worth, then he would be given to the other branch and be killed, the mere thought of that making Levi sick.

“Today, you will answer truthfully to any and all questions we have for you. Should you ever be caught lying for your benefit or anything remotely against humanity, this trial will be immediately stopped and you will be executed,” Zackly said seriously, briefly glancing at Eren on the platform before he placed his documents on the podium. Levi and his friends tensed as they heard the news, unable to bear the thought of Eren’s lifeless body slumped on the ground. Levi saw that Eren’s form was stiff under his clothes, but he never looked away from Zackly.

“Now, I ask you this; do you object to any of these terms being presented to you?” the general asked as he leaned forward on his elbow to get a better look. Eren shook his head once, responding with a calm, “I have no objections, sir.” Levi couldn’t understand how his friend was able to bottle up his emotions so well. Had all these years really changed Eren from the rambunctious and instinctual little boy to this serious and controllable teen?

Zackly nodded and leaned back in his chair as he rummaged through his documents for a moment, letting silence fill the air. “He’s actually doing really well,” Furlan whispered to him, trying to be as casual as possible. Levi agreed, his eyes staring in wonderment at his friend as the brunette obediently stayed quiet.

“Hopefully those idiots won’t provoke him somehow. You know how he gets when someone pushes the right buttons,” he responded stiffly as he glared minutely at the men opposite of him. Those insufferable fools would do just about anything to have things go their way. Even if they had to resort to unusual methods, they weren’t afraid to get their hands dirty. That was one of the many reasons Levi held a disdain for the Garrison.

“There’s also another issue concerning this trial. In this room, I will choose which branch you will be assigned to, but the responses from the people are your responsibility to handle. Your reactions to what the citizens say will ultimately determine your position in the world,” Zackly warned, his eyes never once looking at Eren.

When the general was about to announce something else, Eren surged up from his kneeling position as far as he could, alerting the officers in the room. Pistols were once again trained on the brunette, but he ignored the weapons, his attention solely focused on Zackly. “Wait! I thought I was already part of a branch! I joined the Survey Corps weeks ago, along with my friends,” he objected, his wide eyes momentarily sweeping over Levi, Isabel, and Furlan.

Levi frowned in confusion as Eren began to panic. Didn’t Eren know about what this trial would mean for him? Surely he should have known about what choices he was being given, he was the one being trialed after all! How come not one person filled Eren in on the details when it concerned his very own life?

Hanji went to retrieve Eren from his cell earlier, but didn’t she once think to at least tell him about what could await him at the end of this trial? Normally it would take a miracle to shut the woman up for even a second, but now she wasn’t uttering a word. Was it just not that important for Eren to know? Or did she think that he already knew?

“While it is true that you have already chosen the branch of military you wanted, this special case has the option of sending you with the Military Police for further testing or giving you back to the Survey Corps,” Zackly answered matter-of-factly.

Without even thinking about the possible consequences that would await him, Eren turned to the Military Police and gave them all a harsh glare. Some cowered under his hateful look while others tried their best to seem unaffected, which failed miserably.

“I’m not planning on going with you,” he sneered in disgust. Levi watched as Eren leaned away from their side, acting like they were right next to him. “Unfortunately, if we win, you’ll have no choice,” Nile Dok, the only man completely unaffected by Eren’s venom, calmly replied.

“You’ll have to kill me first before I’ll go anywhere with you willingly,” Eren promised as he maintained eye contact with the man, unafraid that he was possibly crossing the line. The brunette wouldn’t have backed down anyway.

“Enough!” Zackly commanded, effectively silencing any retort Dok might’ve had. Eren gave the man one final glare before he refocused on Zackly, his posture stiff now that he knew the results that this trial could yield. Levi couldn’t bring himself to berate Eren for his actions, since he would do the same thing if he were in his shoes.

When the general had calmed down, he gestured with a wave of his hand towards Dok, glancing only briefly at the older man. “Nile Dok, you may proceed with your case. Just don’t push your boundaries. That goes for you too, young man,” he said, pointing a finger at Eren.

The brunette narrowed his eyes, but otherwise stayed quiet. There was no sound that could be heard in the courtroom, everyone silent in order to hear every word that the man had to say regarding the Military Police’s agenda.

Dok cleared his throat, the wrinkled skin underneath his eyes becoming more pronounced as he squinted at the papers in his hands. Levi had no clue what the man was going to say, but he knew that it wasn’t going to be good regardless. Anything that came out of the Military Police’s mouths were never a good thing for the opposing side.

“As you said earlier, sir, Eren Yeager’s actions have brought forth many possibilities and opinions regarding his titan abilities. The people know about this, and while some view it as a dangerous discovery that could ultimately destroy humanity, there are still some that believe that his actions have only pushed humanity forward,” Dok began, his ending statement causing Eren to widen his eyes in surprise.

Levi felt nothing but sympathy for Eren. The poor boy believed that the people would simply view him as a monster and nothing more. He never thought to consider that there might be some souls out there that could believe in him and his abilities. Did Eren really think of himself as a monster?

“His heroic deeds on the day Trost District was under attack saved many lives, no doubt about that. If he didn’t transform and seal the wall, then I have no doubt that we would all be dead and humanity would cease to exist,” he mildly praised, though his eyes did not shine like one should.

Levi could tell that Dok was only saying these positive things because he was trying to appease him and the Survey Corps. The man himself didn’t believe the words he was saying, even if he was a bit grateful that Eren was there at the right time.

Levi didn’t know about the rest of them, but he could care less about what Dok had to say. Those words weren’t completely sincere, Dok only choosing to say them because he thought it would make him seem like a good man to Zackly. He could take his words and shove it.

 _‘Just say what’s really on your mind, you bastard!’_ Levi thought as he glared at Dok, an action that was ignored. He had no respect for people who weren’t honest with their words. It was like a betrayal of trust and Dok was far too old to be playing these games.

“However,” he added, his eyes glancing up at Eren for a moment. They switched to Zackly, but he refused to continue, letting suspense hang in the air. Isabel huffed quietly beside him, and Levi had the urge to do the same. But, he needed to appear calm and composed, or else Dok would see right through him.

“There is still too much that we don’t know about Eren’s titan abilities. We don’t know how much he is in control over it, and not understanding his dynamic could potentially endanger humanity. Some of the soldiers out on the field reported that after Eren sealed the wall, he lost control and went on a rampage, placing everyone, including his friends, in danger,” Dok finished.

Zackly hummed in thought as he processed Dok’s words, and Levi felt a pang of annoyance swelling inside of him as he heard the man’s absurd accusation. Eren went on a rampage, that he couldn’t deny, but he was still somewhat in control when he was attacking the other titans.

The only reason Eren went crazy was because Furlan had been injured and knocked out, left defenseless as a titan was about to eat him. Eren was only protecting his friend, and not once during that time did he make a move towards the other soldiers. But of course, those soldiers had to twist their words and say something that wasn’t true.

“And what do you plan on doing in order to fix it?” Zackly wondered. One could tell that the general wasn’t really interested in what Dok had to say, but the man was curious to some degree. At this, Dok stood tall and his eyes turned serious.

“If the Military Police gains custody of Eren Yeager, then we plan to experiment and dissect on him to find out exactly what his abilities are,” he revealed, the room as quiet as ever, but now there was an eerie edge. Levi tensed immediately and his friends did as well, their stiff shoulders knocking against his own.

“Once we figure out his true dynamic, then we hope to use that knowledge to further our battles against the titans,” he finished, his words leaving a very stunned crowd in his wake. Levi was shocked, disgusted, confused, and angry all at once.

They were planning on using Eren as a lab rat! They would dissect him, tear him apart little by little and look inside of him to see what he was capable of. Eren would be killed by these people, and he would just be a corpse on an examination table.

That thought filled him with uncontrollable rage, only heightened when he looked at Eren’s fear-stricken face. The boy was sweating profously, his eyes wide and blank as he stared at Dok. It was obvious that Eren didn’t want to go with the Military Police, especially now that he knew what they were planning on doing to him.

Levi growled loudly in his throat, the sound easily heard throughout the room. Some people from both sides glanced at him, but he didn’t care at this point. His body shook in fury as he glared venomously at Dok, the man finally acknowledging him. The older man flinched slightly under his gaze and if looks could kill, then Levi was positive that Dok would be lying on the ground, dead to the world.

The satisfaction he felt when Dok cowered under his gaze was short-lived, as the older man quickly looked away and met Zackly’s own gaze. Levi was still fuming, but Furlan’s hand grasping his elbow brought him back down. The blonde’s fingers massaged the skin underneath and with one final growl, he calmed down to a considerable level.

Furlan’s hand didn’t move away, and Levi thought that was a good thing. Otherwise, he would have marched over and sliced Dok up like a piece of meat, even though he didn’t have any of his gear. For ‘safety purposes,’ they said. _‘What a load of crap,’_ he thought disdainfully.

“The Military Police’s desires are slightly unorthodox, Dok. However, there’s no mistaking that dissecting Yeager could bring forth new information that could be useful to us in the coming years,” Zackly commented. Levi’s glare now focused on the general, angry that someone like him would find that option understandable.

Was he really thinking about handing over Eren to them? Unbelievable, really. Zackly was willing to kill a child if it benefited himself. Eren was about to be sixteen, yet to Zackly and the Military Police, that detail didn’t matter to them at all. All they saw was a test subject and were willing to do whatever it took to get their hands on him.

If Eren’s displeasure was visible before, there was no hiding it now. He looked like he was going to be sick, his face sweaty and a light tint of green. Levi had no doubt that if Dok kept on talking about the Military Police’s agendas, then Eren would puke on the platform.

 _‘Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! It’s our turn to talk!’_ he thought frantically as he looked from Eren to Zackly and back again. Haven’t the Military Police talked enough for one day? When was it going to be their chance to prove their good intentions? Surely the Survey Corps would have a plan to counteract the Military Police.

“That’s not enough!” a man declared from next to Dok. His outburst caught everyone’s attention, but he apparently didn’t seem to care. When Dok focused on him, he let out a confused hum, at a loss of what the older man was trying to say.

“You’re simply going to dissect him? How will that help humanity?! We don’t even know if he can even help us with his biological structure,” the unknown man rambled as he stared at Dok with wide, beady eyes. There was a light sheen of sweat accumulating on his forehead, and Levi didn’t have a clue as to why he seemed so nervous.

“No! What you need to do is exterminate that creature as soon as possible!” he demanded, and Levi felt that familiar twinge of rage build up again. Furlan’s hand gripped his elbow tighter than before, apparently understanding Levi’s state of mind. With his immobile state, the only thing Levi could do was seethe and curse at the man in his brain.

With fire burning in his eyes, Levi memorized every part of the man across from him. He was definitely in his early forties, his skin tight around his mouth and eyes, wrinkles easily noticeable from his aggravated expression. His clothing caught Levi’s attention, the long, dark robe draped over the man’s body signaling his position.

Around his neck was a necklace, wrapped three times and with hanging crests. Levi couldn’t distinguish the pattern on the objects, but it didn’t really matter anyway. Even without them, he knew what type of group the man was a part of.

He was affiliated with the church, a minister perhaps. Levi had seen many others with the same clothing around the district, standing in the middle of the streets as they hollered at the top of their lungs about the ‘enchanting’ walls that protected them.

They defended the walls, saying that they were built by gods themselves specifically for their protection against the titans. They were vehemently against anyone doing anything to the structures, firmly believing that if one of their ‘sinful hands’ touched them, they would crumble and bring forth the end of humanity.

Levi held a disdain for those men who believed in such things. They were blind to the truth of this world, only chasing a path that they were told over and over again. As far as Levi was concerned, there was no god or any other entity. If there was, then humanity wouldn’t be in this mess in the first place.

Now, he had even more of a reason to hate them and the church. This man, who knew nothing about Eren, wanted him to be killed on the spot, just because he didn’t like the fact that Eren could be allowed to live. How heartless could this man be? A teenager, who didn’t do anything against him, was being attacked by someone triple his age.

“That boy’s a monster, unfit to live among humans. He, no, _it,_ should be executed so that no more evil will spread inside the walls! Humanity will plunder if that thing lives!” the minister pressed, his eyes scouring Eren’s chained form with unconcealed disgust.

The minister’s words were followed by the whispers and mumbles of the other people. Their heads were lowered as they conversed, throwing glances at Eren before looking away again. Though they were trying to keep quiet, Levi’s keen ears caught the occasional mumble of agreement.

“He’s got a point.”

“That kid’s a complete stranger to us.”

“He just might kill us if we let him live.”

Hearing those words shattered Levi, his heart beating faster than ever before. His eyes darkened, the blue in his eyes turning almost black in his rage. His muscles stiffened and he pulled his arm roughly out of Furlan’s grip, stalking forward towards the men that dared to say those awful things about Eren.

His eyes zeroed in on their huddled forms, everything else a blur. He made it towards the front of the bars separating him from the platform Eren was chained to, and his hands gripped them with so much force that it was surprising they didn’t break. Levi was just about to jump to the other side, forgoing just walking around it, when he felt a pair of hands grasp his arms.

He instinctively pulled away from them, his emotions draining his rationality. The hands tightened their grip on him, to the point where it was almost painful, before they pulled him back forcefully into the group of other Survey Corps members. He dug his boots into the ground, refusing to back down from his hunger of seeing those rotten men on their backs.

Despite his strength, he was unable to free himself from the ones holding him. Just as he was about to turn around and give whoever they were a kick in the face, he felt someone’s warm breath against the shell of his ear. “Calm down, Levi. You’ll get in trouble otherwise and you’re getting Eren all worked up,” the feminine voice whispered.

Levi recognized the person as Isabel and when he turned the opposite way, he saw that the other was Furlan, his eyes cautious. His friends were trying to calm him down, their arms tense as they used their strength to restrain him.

Her words slowly registered in his brain and he looked up at the crowd. They were all watching him, some with curious looks while others were downright terrified, courtesy of the merchants and the minister. Levi could care less about what they thought of him, but he scolded himself for his loss of control. He had told himself from the beginning of this trial that he wouldn’t let himself get worked up. He just broke his word and now everyone witnessed how easy he was to manipulate.

He looked away from the hundreds of eyes watching him and let his eyes land on Eren’s figure. The brunette was tense, his green eyes narrowed slightly as he looked back at him. Somehow, in his crazed state, he didn’t see Eren stand a bit taller, one of his knees bent as if he was going to pounce any second.

His friend was at the edge of his control as well. Seeing him act so recklessly must have triggered something in Eren, causing him to act on impulse to try and put himself in between Levi and the people on the other side of the room. Obviously, he couldn’t do that, but Eren’s instincts were too strong to ignore and he did it anyway.

Zackly was looking at him warily, as if he was worried he would go off again. The officers near the doors had stepped closer, it seemed, their faces unreadable as they looked at him. Levi needed to calm down, or else he would get thrown out of the room and he would never see Eren again. What kind of impression was he making to Zackly about him and the Survey Corps?

The anger clouding his vision was slowly diminishing and he focused on slowing his breathing. A few moments later, he relaxed his muscles and his arms fell limp in his friends’ hold. Levi closed his eyes, willing his emotions to return to normalcy. The darkness he was in helped him stabilize himself, and when he felt his heart beat at a normal pace, he opened his eyes again.

Everyone was still looking at him, but he put on a brave face and let himself look as calm as possible. His friends slowly retracted their hands from him and they eventually returned to their positions as if nothing had occurred. From the corner of his eye, Levi saw as Eren slowly calmed down as well and he leaned back against the beam behind him.

A few minutes of tense silence passed before Zackly cleared his throat, obviously trying to diffuse the uncomfortable situation they were all in. “Right,” he began, his voice wavering just a bit that if Levi wasn’t paying attention, he would’ve missed it. “Minister Nick, please stay quiet or else you will be removed from the room. This is between the Survey Corps and the Military Police,” he advised to the older man.

The minister, Nick, Levi recalled, opened his mouth to try and say something, but he caught Levi’s gaze and he shut his mouth again. Levi didn’t let himself lose focus of the minister, his sharp eyes intently watching the older man’s every move. His eyes held every word that he couldn’t say, and the man knew just what he was thinking if the occasional gulps were any indication.

“Now, I think it’s time for the Survey Corps to explain themselves,” Zackly said, motioning towards their side of the room. There was some shuffling going on around Levi, but he ignored it, solely focusing on the cowering minister a few feet in front of him. Where was the defiant and loudmouth man now? Such pity that all it took was a glare and he would act like a frightened puppy.

“Stop glaring so hard! You’ll kill the man if you keep doing that,” Isabel whispered harshly as she nudged him with her elbow. Levi twitched at the action and gave the girl a harsh glare, something that would have made her flinch, but this time, she withstood his coldness. “Don’t act like you’re not as affected as I am. You’re just about to lose it as well,” he countered, his pointed gaze boring holes through her.

This time, Isabel did have a reaction. She looked away minutely, but the silent rage in her eyes told Levi everything he needed to know. Isabel was also having trouble keeping her emotions in check, but she was obviously having a better time at managing it than he was. Furlan was always the one that had a better hold on his emotions, but his blue eyes still showed the uneasiness he was going through.

Reluctantly, Levi forced his glare to disappear and the next time he looked at the minister, his eyes were calm as could be. The man still wasn’t comfortable with looking at him, but that didn’t bother Levi. It just showed how much more powerful he was compared to Nick. The sound of a throat clearing from somewhere near him caught Levi’s attention, but he didn’t look away from the minister.

“My name is Erwin Smith, and I am the 13th Commander of the Survey Corps. I, as well as the entirety of the branch, are here today to win back custody of Eren Yeager,” a deep voice announced from Levi’s left side. Taking a chance, he looked from the corner of his eye at the man that had just spoken.

He was fairly tall, with bright, blonde hair slicked back professionally and his blue eyes, a shade brighter than his own, looked at the opposite wall. He was decked out in the usual uniform of the Survey Corps, the Wings of Freedom shown proudly on his sleeve. He looked like a proper commander, his frame standing tall amongst the other soldiers and with his hands clasped behind his back.

His face was relaxed, mouth set in a line as he finished speaking for the moment. Levi saw the experience that he held, years of being in the Survey Corps morphing him into the proud commander he was today. Levi vaguely wondered if that was how he would look like years from now, and he hoped that if that was the case, then he would be proud of it. Though, he could definitely do without the bushy eyebrows. Those were just a bit too much for his liking.

“And for what reason would you want Eren Yeager back in your custody, Erwin?” Zackly asked, his hands neatly stacking the documents that were at a disarray on his podium. The commander, Erwin, took his time to come up with his answer, and Levi was having a hard time staying quiet. Patience had never been one of his strong attributes.

“The Survey Corps, if given the custody of Eren, plan on using his titan abilities to reclaim Wall Maria. His enhanced abilities will prove to be very useful to us,” Erwin said, his eyes unblinking as he stared at Zackly. There was silence after that, nobody uttering a word as everyone waited for Erwin to speak again. The commander didn’t, refusing to meet anyone’s gaze as he remained still and quiet.

“Is that all you have to say, Erwin?” Zackly asked after a minute, his brows furrowed in confusion as he leaned forward in his chair. Erwin nodded once, lips parting to say, “Yes, sir.” Levi tossed the blonde man an incredulous look, shocked that the great commander was actually done speaking. Was that really all that he could think of at a time like this? Didn’t he understand that his words could impact Eren’s life?

“The hell? He’s done talking? I thought he would’ve said something a little bit more emotional or impactful,” Furlan commented as he too looked at the commander. “I guess so. I hope he doesn’t think so lowly of Eren to just not defend him at all,” Isabel butted in, her tone weary as she occasionally glanced at Erwin.

“And how come you won’t go into detail about your decision? Are you not completely sure that you’ll succeed with Eren’s abilities?” Zackly pressed on, unable to resist his curiosity any longer. Levi focused on the commander, waiting silently for his response. If he didn’t trust in Eren’s abilities, then this whole trial would go down the drain.

“Not at all. I’m confident that Eren’s powers will be incredibly useful to fight. If I keep on talking about my plans for him, won’t that just make you more suspicious about my position? By getting straight to the point, you know that I’m not second-guessing myself,” Erwin smartly responded.

Levi’s eyebrows raised slightly, caught off guard by Erwin’s quick thinking. He thought about the point he was trying to make, and he came to the conclusion that the older man was right. Going on and on about the Survey Corps’ goals and wishes for Eren would only put the idea that they weren’t completely sure of themselves. It was for Eren’s benefit that they kept it short and simple.

“I suppose you’re right, Erwin. However, it’s not your choice to make whether Eren will do what is good for humanity,” at this, Zackly turned away from the blonde and faced Eren, his hands clasped together in front of him. “Eren, are you willing to do whatever it takes to push humanity forward? Can you trust yourself to do what is best for all of us?” he asked seriously.

Levi anxiously waited for his friend’s response, feeling his palms sweat. He knew that Eren would say yes, but he worried that the pressure would be too much for him. His life depended on whether he said yes or no, and Levi could feel his heart beating its way out of his chest.

Eren looked around the room at all of the faces watching him, stopping when his gaze landed on him and his friends. The wheels were turning behind those green eyes, and something sparkled in them, but he didn’t know what to call it. As soon as he looked at them, he turned away, fixing Zackly with a serious expression.

“I’m willing to put myself in danger for the greater good. My titan powers will surely aid in our fight against the titans, and I’m positive that I can be of use,” Eren responded, wholly determined to stay true to his word. Though it wasn’t the appropriate situation, Levi found himself smiling softly at his friend, feeling elated that he was still willing to fight.

_‘Such a soldier…’ _Levi thought fondly as his eyes shined with love for his friend. Even at the brink of death, Eren was still fighting and he wasn’t giving up, even when the odds were stacked against him. He didn’t like the fact that he would be in danger, but he let himself think about that fact later.__

__Zackly thought over Eren’s answer, one of his hands coming up to rub at his beard. He hummed in thought, eyes squinting for a second before they relaxed and he leaned back in his chair. He grabbed the documents on his podium, scouring through them before he apparently found the one he was looking for._ _

__“You say they’ll aid humanity, eh?” Zackly challenged, his tone saying that he found something amiss. Eren gulped, but he still nodded, sticking by his answer. Zackly held up a paper, bringing it close to his face so that his aging eyes could see the lettering._ _

__“You say that, yet during the mission to take back Trost District, it’s reported that you lost control of your titan and went on a rampage. How do you explain that, Eren?” the general accused, one eyebrow raised in a silent question. Levi swallowed nervously, but he frowned in confusion._ _

__“You put everyone around you in danger and you attacked them. That itself should be enough reason to send you to your death, but I wish to hear your side of the story,” Zackly commented, calm as ever while he talked about Eren’s possible death._ _

__“Who the hell reported that?” Isabel bristled, her face scrunching up in slight anger. Levi could feel the animosity pouring from his friends in waves, and he discreetly grabbed one of their wrists, squeezing the flesh as a reminder to keep their cool. He already lost his composure, he didn’t want them to do that as well._ _

__Eren opened his mouth a few times, but it took his friend some time to formulate the words he wished to say. “I-It’s true that I lost control, and I take full responsibility for that, but I never tried to attack anybody other than the titans in my way. I don’t know who wrote that report, but that detail isn’t true,” the brunette explained, eyeing the soldiers around the room with a bit of anger shining in his eyes._ _

__Levi could understand his friend’s emotions because he too felt angry. Someone, no doubt from the Military Police, wrote lies about Eren on the report from the battle at Trost. They were so eager to have Eren killed that they went against protocol and lied about the events that really happened. How could Zackly accuse Eren of that when he wasn’t even there to witness the closing moments of the battle?_ _

__“Lies! It’s all lies! That thing is trying to weasel his way out of his punishment!” Minister Nick accused, pointing a finger at Eren, the digit slightly quivering. Levi clenched his hands into fists, wanting so badly to punch that man’s ugly face in, but he refrained himself from doing so._ _

__“I’m not lying! You weren’t even there, so how can you accuse me of that?! If you want the truth, then ask someone who was actually there fighting and not hiding like a coward!” Eren spat, eyes darkening in anger as he defended himself from the man. Minister Nick looked shocked at his outburst, but his face soon twisted into something akin to disgust._ _

__When it seemed that the man was going to say something else, Zackly suddenly stood from his chair and fisted his hands on the podium. His eyes behind his glasses sparked in barely concealed anger. “That’s enough!” he yelled. The loud baritone quickly silenced whatever Minister Nick wanted to say, and he backed away slightly when a finger was pointed directly to his face._ _

__“Minister Nick, I’ve already warned you to stay quiet! If you have another incident like that, then I will make sure your church will no longer be in service! Do you understand?” Zackly commanded, his hard gaze never once faltering. The minister looked torn for a second, but he ultimately nodded and bowed his head in defeat._ _

__Now that the older man was put in his place, something that Levi was incredibly happy about, Zackly sat back down and breathed in and out to try and calm his temper. While he was doing that, Levi saw from his left side that Furlan raised his hand, waiting for the general to notice him._ _

__“General?” the blonde called out tentatively. The old man raised his head and acknowledged his friend, nodding once to show that he was listening. Furlan lowered his hand and cleared his throat, his eyes falling on Eren’s form on the platform for a split second before he turned back to Zackly._ _

__“Whatever is on that report regarding Eren’s loss of control is not true,” he started, gaining everyone in the room’s attention. All eyes focused on him, even Levi’s. The raven hadn’t expected for his friend to speak up, considering the fact that he didn’t remember much about the battle._ _

__“Oh? Then please explain what really happened,” Zackly said. It was meant to sound like an offer, but Levi and everyone else knew that it was actually an order. Not wanting to drag on the trial more than it already had been, Furlan immediately opened his mouth to retell the events of that day._ _

__“I’m not going to deny the fact that Eren lost control, because he did. However, the reason for that was either lost in translation, or was completely ignored,” Furlan said, making Zackly lean forward slightly in his chair in mild interest._ _

__“You see, while Eren was busy trying to seal the wall, the titans were gaining in numbers and they were getting in our way. They were chasing the remaining soldiers, who had abandoned their posts and gathered around Eren, which caused our mission to become even more difficult,” he explained, tossing the other soldiers a glare at the end._ _

__“Because of our tight surroundings, I was knocked against the roof of a house and was knocked unconscious. Levi and Isabel explained to me that I was at the mercy of a titan, who was about to eat me, when all of a sudden, Eren knocked it away and stood in front of me, protecting me until he attacked the other titans,” he went on, taking a deep breath._ _

__Levi’s eyes glazed over as he remembered that day. It was truly terrifying, seeing Furlan on the ground, completely helpless as a titan loomed over him. He was busy with the titans, so he could only watch as the titan got even closer to his unconscious friend. He was so close to losing a person he cared about, and every single day since then, he thanked Eren countless times for his perfect timing._ _

__“Eren did attack and managed to kill the other remaining titans, but he _never_ made a move against the other soldiers. He didn’t even pay attention to them until he was finished and worn out from the battle. That report is false,” Furlan finished, voice determined and completely honest._ _

__Some of the soldiers from the Military Police made noises of denial, getting ready to argue with Furlan’s declaration, but Zackly’s hand and Isabel’s voice stopped them in their tracks. “It’s true! Not only did Eren protect Furlan when he was unconscious, but he also protected all three of us when the captain of the Garrison fired and tried to kill us. He transformed partially into a titan and shielded us from the cannon fire,” she added, her eyes desperate for Zackly to listen._ _

__The general bit the inside of his cheek, his eyes going from Isabel, to Furlan, and finally, to him. He was checking to see if they were telling the truth, which they were. What reason did they have to lie about what happened?_ _

__“Is that so? What about you, Ackerman? Are you in agreement with your friends?” Zackly asked him. Isabel and Furlan turned to him, pleading with their eyes for him to back them up and tell the general about his own experience. If he brought that information to light, then maybe Zackly would consider handing over Eren to them._ _

__“I am, sir. What they’re saying is the truth, I promise. Eren protected us against the other soldiers, but before that, he protected me as well. I was trapped and about to be devoured by a titan while trying to get inside HQ, but Eren came in and saved me,” Levi said. His blue eyes found Eren’s own, the brunette staring at him intensely._ _

__“He knocked the other out of the way and allowed me to escape unharmed. He also rescued my friends and other members of the Survey Corps when we were trapped inside the building. He killed those titans as well before he exhausted himself,” he continued, maintaining eye contact with Eren through it all. He wanted his friend to hear the gratefulness in his words, and judging by Eren’s slightly bashful expression, he got his point across._ _

__“Eren, in all of the times he’s transformed into a titan, has never hurt a human. He’s different from the rest of them, he doesn’t lust after us. Please, sir, take our words to heart,” he pleaded, staring at the general. Hopefully his words would be the final piece to show Zackly that he was doing this because Eren deserved it._ _

__It seemed like he was actually considering their words, but a voice from the other side of the room stopped his train of thought. This time, it wasn’t Minister Nick that spoke, but a soldier, one that hadn’t uttered a word. “How can we trust what you three have to say? It’s obvious you’re only protecting him from the inevitable!” he accused._ _

__Levi was about to tell the man to shut his mouth, but his partner spoke up, aiding his fellow comrade. “Yeah! You three have been with him for years, so it’s only obvious that you would do anything to get him out of here! Especially you!” he argued, pointing his finger at Levi._ _

__The raven frowned slightly, annoyed that these men thought that his friends weren’t telling the truth. They weren’t at the battlefield, so they didn’t see what Eren had done. They were just afraid of him and were willing to do anything to keep Eren in line. And why were they looking at him like that?_ _

__The confusion must have shown on his face because some of the soldiers scoffed, their eyes narrowing in distrust. “Don’t think we don’t know about what you two did all those years ago. There was a report about the death of three men, and it stated that you two killed them without remorse! It’s because of those actions that you’re so willing to protect him!” a different soldier explained._ _

__At the mention of that day, Levi felt his body stiffen, and his eyes looked haunted for a second. That day...the worst day of his life...he was reliving it all over again. His mother’s dead body, lying in a pool of her own blood, being kidnapped by those awful men, his will to live gone as he looked out into nothing._ _

__Eren, his knife burying itself into the man’s chest, straight through his cold heart, and then doing the same to the next one. He remembered Eren being choked, green eyes wide and mouth open in pain. He remembered the fear he had felt when he realized that he was going to watch Eren die, and he remembered the moment in which he had let it all go, stabbing the man so many times that he could still feel his blood on his hands._ _

__These soldiers were defending those men, saying that _they_ were the monsters for killing them. That realization made him sick, and he could feel his stomach churn. Didn’t these people know about what those men had done? Didn’t they know about them killing his innocent mother, who didn’t even do anything wrong, before they took him away to be sold as a slave?_ _

__“Hey! You have no idea why they did those things! Those men deserved what they got! They weren’t even human if their disgusting actions were anything to go by!” Isabel shouted, getting into a defensive stance beside Levi. Her eyes were blazing in anger, Furlan quickly following her example._ _

__“That’s no excuse for what they did! As a matter of fact, how could two children possibly kill three adults? We know now that the kid’s a titan, what if he’s one as well?!” the soldier wondered as he looked at Levi in a new light. That assumption spurred a frenzy of voices shouting together, all being directed at Levi._ _

__“Get him!”_ _

__“He’s a titan too! That’s why he’s so defensive!”_ _

__“We must dissect him as well!”_ _

___“Kill him!”_ _ _

__Levi looked on in shock as many pistols were aimed at him, the faces of those holding them antsy and impatient to kill someone. Was this really happening? They were accusing him of being a titan shifter like Eren? Were they really so blind to the truth that they were willing to kill him as an excuse? Apparently they were because they were seconds away from squeezing that trigger._ _

__**“ENOUGH!!!”** Eren’s loud roar echoed inside the room, making everyone freeze. Levi’s ears ringed, his friend’s octave a bit too much for him to handle at the moment. His friends flinched as well, though Furlan had a stronger reaction because of his injury. The soldiers lowered their pistols slightly and looked at Eren hesitantly._ _

__They instantly cowered under Eren’s stare, and when Levi had enough sense to follow their vision, he saw the most severe glare ever produced. Eren’s eyes were nearly black in rage, his lips pulled up into a vicious snarl as he glared at the soldiers with their pistols. Without even saying a word, they completely put away their weapons, Eren’s hard stare making them submit._ _

__“If you even dare to lay a finger on him, _I will end you._ As long as I’m around, you will leave him out of this. He’s not a monster, so don’t you dare shove your pistols in his face ever again,” Eren threatened, his voice getting lower with every word until he was basically growling at the soldiers._ _

__Everyone stayed quiet as Eren’s words filtered through everyone’s brains. Everyone was tense except for Levi and his friends. Now that he didn’t need to worry about getting shot, he could breathe easily and he slowly relaxed his muscles. Isabel and Furlan eased their defensive stances and now stood beside him once again._ _

__They still looked murderous, but at least they didn’t have to worry about the other soldiers killing him. For the first time, Levi was thankful for the fact that no one was allowed to carry their gear inside. Otherwise, he would have to worry about getting Eren, as well as Isabel and Furlan, out of this prison._ _

__“Now, do us all a favor and shut your mouths for just one minute,” Eren said. He wiggled in his restraints, causing some of the soldiers to lift their pistols again, but the brunette ignored them. “Listen up, because I won’t be saying this again. I have done more for humanity than any of you bastards have in your entire lives, and I’m merely a teen. My titan abilities have helped save countless of civilians, and you can’t ignore that fact no matter how much you want to.”_ _

__Eren’s voice was solid as he continued to speak, teeth still clenched, and Levi could see the skin on the inside of his cheek jumping slightly. That was always a sign that his friend showed when his patience was wearing thin. That wasn’t a good thing right now._ _

__“You have no idea how dedicated I am to getting rid of the titans residing on this earth. I will kill all of them with my bare hands, and none of you can stop me. So, whether I’m in your possession or not, what’s stopping me from transforming and doing just that? What can you people do to control me?” Eren threatened._ _

__Tense silence followed, the only thing everyone could hear being Eren’s ragged gasps for breath, his speech taking the oxygen right out of his lungs. Levi, looking at the Military Police, saw the fear they felt as they gazed at Eren. Even Dok, the man in charge, couldn’t hide his terror at Eren’s heavy words._ _

__Nobody tried to say anything, too shocked by Eren’s outburst. They also didn’t want to suffer the brunette’s wrath should they say the wrong thing. The silence was getting on Levi’s nerves, and right when he was about to speak up, Erwin spoke up and raised his hand in acknowledgement._ _

__“I have a proposition for you, Zackly,” he announced carefully. The general looked at him for a moment and nodded after a few seconds, giving him permission to continue. Erwin lowered his hand and began to speak what was on his mind. “As you all just witnessed, Eren is still influenced by his emotions, which have become even more out of character because of his apparent titan abilities. Should the Military Police gain custody of him, there’s no telling the danger he might cause if he’s not properly restrained.”_ _

__How could someone who didn’t even know Eren so much understand him that well? Perhaps it was just Erwin’s nature to read people and their ambitions, morphed from his years of doing this type of work. Or maybe it was just that obvious to tell. Eren did outright say that he would find a way to break free from the Military Police._ _

__“That’s why, I strongly advise you to give Eren to us. Not only will he be trained to control his titan, but being in the care of his friends will surely aid in keeping him in line. It’s obvious that he would protect them, and that’s just the type of leverage we need,” Erwin continued._ _

__Levi internally scoffed at the blonde’s words. He didn’t particularly like being used as bait or a prize, but he understood what the commander was doing. It was true that Eren put them before himself, so they would be the only people worthy of keeping him out of trouble._ _

__“Those three are the best the Survey Corps have to offer. They were all in the top ten while training, so if Eren does manage to lose control, they can contain him and calm him down. That’s surely better than him running rampage across the district, isn’t it?” he wondered._ _

__The general bit his bottom lip, worrying it between his teeth. The older man looked between Levi and his friends and Eren, seemingly sizing them up to see if they really were capable of such a task. In response, he stood up straighter to look a bit taller, trying to seem like a capable soldier._ _

__After a few looks back and forth, the general sighed tiredly and lifted his hand. “You make a very appealing case, Erwin. Very well, I will hand over Eren Yeager back to the Survey Corps. However, those three are wholly responsible for his safety. Should they fail, then they will be trialed alongside him,” Zackly agreed, lowering his hand on the podium._ _

__Levi’s heart went crazy at those words, and he let a relieved smile grace his lips. Isabel full on grinned in excitement and he heard Furlan mutter a, “Thank goodness.” Every bit of tension residing inside of Levi vanished, and he took a chance to look at Eren. The brunette was noticeably relieved as well, his shoulders drooping and face looking years younger._ _

__When his eyes met Levi’s a dazzling smile was rewarded to him and the raven felt his heart pitter-patter inside of his chest. He could finally have Eren beside him again, a thought that he was sure would never happen. He wouldn’t have to suffer through Eren’s loss and the brunette wouldn’t have to experience being dissected on._ _

__The Military Police looked disgruntled, but Levi couldn’t find it in himself to care about them anymore. Their tricks didn’t work, and Eren would finally be safe again. They could be together, like the family that they always would be. Maybe they could even see the outside world after all._ _

__He and his friends were responsible for keeping Eren in line, and though the pressure was high, Levi wasn’t worried. After all, he had been watching over Eren for years now, and this wasn’t anything new. He would be there for Eren every step of the way, and if the brunette lost himself to his titan, then they would do everything in their power to bring him back down to earth._ _

__They would show him that he was _human.__ _


	17. Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Eren’s trial, he’s finally allowed to go back and be with his friends again. How is he going to handle all of these new responsibilities?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I haven’t seen you in about two months and it’s been one heck of a ride. I’m sorry to any of my readers who have been patiently waiting for an update, but here I am!
> 
> I just needed to take a break from some stuff and focus on my personal life (which is great btw) as well as school. I graduate in six months and I haven’t done a single thing for college! I’m a procrastinator at heart and now I’m in some deep trouble :’)
> 
> Anyway! I’ll stop talking about my life since most of you aren’t here for that type of stuff. What you’re here for is a new chapter, which I hope you all enjoy since it took me quite a while to finish it. It’s just a filler until the next update, but it’s over 8k words so it’ll be enough for now. My fingers are literally cramping up from so much typing, but it was worth it!
> 
> You may notice that I’m updating on a weekday instead of the weekend, and that’s because I’ve decided that as soon as I finish a chapter and have some free time, I’ll publish it so that I won’t forget. It’s gonna be a weird change for me since I follow a schedule, but I’ll make this an exception.
> 
> As stated before, this chapter is really just for me to get back into things so I apologize if it’s boring. I don’t have a beta either so I’m the only person that reviews and edits the chapters. I’m sure there’ll be some mistakes I forgot to correct and if you find some, then comment below and I’ll fix it as soon as I can.
> 
> Thank you all for waiting on me and I’ll try not to leave you hanging next time. Leave comments and/or kudos since I really appreciate it and I’ll be more than happy with hearing your feedback.
> 
> This chapter will be in Eren’s POV.
> 
> **Takes place the day after Eren’s trial.**

Sitting in a carriage with three officers wasn’t what Eren was expecting of his journey back to HQ. He felt out of place in the small cubicle, the officers casting him wary and disgusted looks whenever they thought he wasn’t paying attention. It bothered him severely, but he tried to ignore the looks as he kept his eyes on the dirt path.

It was hard to believe that just a day ago he was in a courtroom fighting for his life. These officers, as well as many others, were willing to shoot him at a moment’s notice if he made a wrong move. They saw him as a monster and wanted to dissect him for “scientific purposes.” Eren internally scoffed at that, knowing full well that the Garrison had no intentions of doing what they had claimed.

The only reason they said that was so they wouldn’t be directly accused if he indeed died under their care. The dissection was a cover up for his death, a sneaky trick that had probably been done countless of times before. Their abuse of power made him hate the Garrison even more, especially when they pulled their guns on Levi.

Just thinking back to that made Eren clench his jaw and curl his hands into fists, his nails digging into the skin of his palm. Those rotten bastards had aimed their guns at _Levi_. They were going to kill his friend, the person that he cared about the most. They let their fear cloud their rationality and were set on taking Levi away from him just because of his connection to him.

And the things they said about their actions years ago was the icing on the cake. The haunted look on Levi’s face when the officers said that _they_ were the monsters for killing those men had filled him with so much rage. They were protecting those sick monsters and basically saying that Levi’s mother deserved to die when she was only trying to protect her son.

How could they say that to Levi, the one that suffered the most and saw his mother’s murder? Did they not have morals? Didn’t they feel shameful for their disgusting words? Eren thought it was ironic that he was being described as a monster when they were the ones that had done these horrible things.

He glared hatefully at the two soldiers in front of him through his hair, keeping his face aimed towards the outside of the carriage. They took no notice of him, probably because they didn’t want to lay their eyes on him again. Eren hoped that they were close to HQ because he didn’t think he could handle being in the same space as these soldiers for much longer.

His wrists were cuffed together with heavy chains, but he could still move them quite a bit thanks to his enhanced strength. He could probably break them too, but he really didn’t want to get shot right now. He was finally going to be back with his friends and he didn’t want to mess up his chance. The last thing he wanted was to stay with these bastards for more time.

With no way to escape the carriage or the officers, he chose to escape in another way: mentally. He looked outside the opening again and leaned forward, letting his shoulder rest against the door. He felt the breeze against his face and smiled slightly, feeling relaxed at the cool air.

They were near HQ, that much Eren was sure of. The village was extremely familiar to him, reminding him of his own home. The thought of his village brought a wave of sadness, but he abruptly ended that train of thought and instead focused on what he was seeing now. Some of the villagers were already busying themselves with their daily tasks.

Women were standing by the small shops set up around the area with their baskets hanging off their arms as they talked to the people behind the counter. The men were carrying bags of food or supplies over their shoulders, yelling across the village square to who knows who. The sight that made Eren smile was when he witnessed the children playing with their little group of friends around the village, screaming and laughing with glee as they ran from one place to another, forgetting the dangers that lurked outside the walls.

Seeing their cute little faces etched into a smile made Eren’s heart thump heavily in his chest as he recalled a time when he and his friends were like that. He and Isabel getting into trouble and dragging Furlan and Levi into their mess always resulted in them running away from whoever they upset. They were probably the most troublesome kids in Shiganshina, a label that Eren wore proudly.

How he wished that he could go back to those days, when everything was simple and the only thing he worried about was what he was going to have for dinner. Now he had to constantly worry about his life and ponder if he would live another day in this wretched world. There was no laughter or innocence left for him and his friends, all of it having disappeared the day that the wall was breached.

He and his friends witnessed so much horror that day. He saw people die, either by the falling debris or the titans, and he couldn’t do anything to save them. Not even his mother was spared from that horrible fate, having to lay there and get eaten when it could’ve been avoided. He had watched her get torn apart and it was the most terrifying thing he had ever witnessed.

He didn’t know if Levi had seen her gruesome death, but he was certain that the raven felt the same amount of heartbreak as him. Levi adored his mother, probably more so than he himself did, and her death shook him to the core. That day changed Levi forever, a constant cloud of fear and helplessness hanging above him.

Furlan and Isabel had also changed since then. They were more serious and there was a haunted look in their eyes always present whenever he looked at them, no matter how hard they tried to hide it. They weren’t children anymore, they were adults. They were forced to grow up too fast because of what they had seen. The government forced them to become soldiers and fight the titans that took everything away from them.

These soldiers sitting beside him couldn’t do their jobs and he and his friends suffered because of it. In the end, _they_ were the reason why he was in this position. _They_ made his friends almost die on that mission to seal the wall, and _they_ were the reason why he would never be able to enjoy life again. Every day was a struggle and if only they had taken their jobs more seriously, then none of this would’ve happened.

The sudden noise of a horse neighing and the carriage coming to a stop made Eren jerk in his seat and come out of his depressing thoughts. He looked out the window opposite of him and his excitement grew substantially as he saw the familiar building of HQ outside. It was still a little banged up, but it looked much better than when he had last seen it. Some soldiers were outside, presumably doing their chores, but they stopped once they noticed the carriage.

The huge doors opened and out came Hanji, the brunette wearing a professional look on her face as she came forward. One of the officers in the carriage opened the door and stepped out, another one quickly following his example. The third that was still sitting inside roughly grabbed his shoulder and dragged him out, almost making him land face first on the dirt. He tossed a glare behind him and the officer gave one back, the two locked in a staredown.

Eren bared his teeth at the soldier and narrowed his eyes, looking almost like a cornered animal. The officer slightly raised his pistol and gave him a threatening look, but Eren didn’t back down. He was going to show these weaklings that he wasn’t some kid they could push around. He had too much pride to allow something like that to happen.

The staring contest was broken when he heard a familiar voice yell out his name. “Eren!” Levi called as he ran towards him, Isabel and Furlan not a step behind. At the sight of his friends, Eren smiled widely, any previous anger now gone as he ignored the soldiers surrounding him. He could see Hanji smiling as well, unable to keep a straight face anymore.

Levi made a move to hug him, an action that he was shocked to see since the raven didn’t like showing affection in the presence of strangers, but the sound of a gun being cocked made Eren’s ear twitch. Levi, Isabel and Furlan were forced to stop just in front of Hanji when one of the officers aimed his pistol at them, his finger just barely squeezing the trigger.

Eren stood frozen in place, watching his friends’ faces as they saw a gun being pointed at them for the second time. Furlan was nervous, his blue eyes constantly moving from the soldier to Eren and sweat forming on his forehead. Isabel was obviously upset, her mouth set in a snarl as her body tensed in preparation for the bullet. Levi however looked to be the worst of the three. He was looking at the pistol in confusion, but Eren could see the fear in his gunmetal eyes.

Levi was almost shot only a day ago in the courtroom and now he was being threatened again. Hanji came forward, her hands grasping her blades as she faced the officer with a cool expression. The scientist was prepared to cut the officers if they attempted to shoot her soldiers. Eren, seeing his friends’ reactions, felt the familiar wave of rage and protectiveness building up inside him and pushed himself forward, ignoring the possibility of himself being shot.

He stood toe-to-toe with the officer, his green eyes blazing in anger as he silently ordered the older man to put down his weapon. It was deathly silent in the field, every soldier watching the exchange with baited breath. The officer glared at him, upset with the fact that he was interfering with his business, but what he didn’t understand was that when his friends’ lives were involved, it was most certainly _his_ business.

No one, especially a lowly officer, was going to take his friends away from him. They wouldn’t die on his watch, and if this officer thought that he would just sit back and watch then he had another thing coming. His friends wouldn’t be disrespected in such a way when they deserved praise instead.

“I guess my warning to you yesterday wasn’t clear. _Never_ point a gun at them again, or you’ll have a much bigger problem on your hands,” Eren warned, his voice a deadly whisper. The officer gulped in slight nervousness, but he eventually lowered his pistol. He kept his finger on the trigger, but Eren let it slide since at least now his friends weren’t in any immediate danger.

“You little brat! We can still shoot you!” one of the other officers threatened as he glared at him, an action that Eren eagerly reciprocated. “By all means try, sir. Although I highly doubt you’ll live to see another day if you do,” he advised, a ghost of a smirk on his lips. The three officers looked extremely uncomfortable at his words, just the reaction he was expecting.

“There’ll be no such thing happening on my watch. Gentlemen, if you would be so kind as to remove those chains, that would be most appreciated,” Hanji ordered as she put her blades back in her compartments. The look in her eyes told the officers not to argue, and after a few seconds of debating which one would uncuff him, the one that had spoken came forward with the keys.

Eren held out his hands, maintaining eye contact with the officer as he turned the key in the hole. A clicking sound signaled that he was free and he quickly took the cuffs off and held them out for the officers to take. Neither of them made a move to retrieve them, making Eren’s brow raise in question.

“You can keep the cuffs. I’m positive that you’ll be wearing them again soon,” one of them sneered. Eren’s eyes narrowed in anger and he refrained himself from punching the officer in the face. That would just lead to more trouble for him and his friends, since they were essentially responsible for him now. If he messed up from this point on, then his friends would be to blame and they could get removed from the Survey Corps. They had worked so hard to get to this point and Eren wouldn’t let himself be the reason why they had to leave.

“Thank you so much for bringing him all this way, officers. We truly appreciate it,” Hanji butted in, trying to diffuse the tension between Eren and the officers. She saluted them but all they responded with were grunts and rolls of their eyes. Their obvious disrespect towards Hanji and the entire branch made Eren’s blood boil and he felt his temperature rise, something that was probably caused by his titan genetics.

The three officers turned away from them and got back inside the carriage one by one. The door closed, but before the horse began to trot away, one poked his head out and looked directly behind Eren. “Remember, kiddies. He screws up, you’re all getting hanged,” he teased evilly with a smirk. That comment did nothing for Eren’s mood and he stepped forward, but a hand grabbed his elbow, preventing him from doing any possible damage to the officers.

Soon the carriage rode away, taking the obnoxious officers with it. Eren let his eyes follow the carriage until it disappeared across the street, and only then did he calm down. His body temperature dropped and he let out a deep breath. He turned around to finally greet his friends properly, but a body gluing itself onto him prevented him from speaking. He looked over the person’s shoulder, coming face to face with a smug Isabel and Furlan. There was something in their eyes that Eren couldn’t decipher, but he didn’t let himself focus on that when he realized that the one hugging him began to tremble.

Levi’s slightly smaller frame was tightly pressed against his own, allowing Eren to feel every shake the raven’s body produced. Levi’s face was pressed against his shoulder and his arms were wrapped around his middle, nearly suffocating him from the amount of strength that he was using. Eren lifted his eyes to see who was watching and was startled that all of the soldiers were looking in his direction.

He gave them all a serious look and they immediately looked away, busying themselves with their previous tasks. Relieved that there weren’t dozens of eyes trained on him anymore, Eren refocused his attention to the clingy Levi in his arms. He really didn’t know what to do in a situation like this, as embarrassed as he was to admit it.

Levi had never revealed this much emotion in front of others before. Even when he almost murdered Minister Nick in that courtroom, Eren wasn’t really surprised. Anger and fierce protectiveness was something that Levi showed quite often, especially since they were now doing missions and actually fighting. But seeing Levi acting so lost and on the verge of a mental breakdown was something that Eren wasn’t prepared for.

How could he comfort Levi but also not overdo it? The raven didn’t like being treated like a frail child whenever he was upset. It was one of the main reasons why he hardly showed his emotions when they were out in public. Keeping a blank face protected Levi from falling into people’s games or tricks. If he were to coddle Levi too much, then the raven would get upset with him.

But on the other hand, he couldn’t not do anything! Levi was breaking down in his arms and he wasn’t doing anything to help his emotionally distressed friend. Isabel and Furlan surely wouldn’t do it themselves. They left this sort of thing to Eren since he knew Levi for a much longer period of time. Levi had a bit more trust in him than in Isabel or Furlan because he had seen him at his most weakest years ago. He had helped build Levi up again and that connected the two of them on a whole other level.

The sorts of things that he would do to calm Levi down weren’t for others to see. Not even Furlan and Isabel could know about his ways of comforting the raven. It was something special to the both of them and could only be done when they were alone. Otherwise it would lose its meaning. That and the fact that Levi would die of embarrassment if someone witnessed their little comforting session.

With no other way to properly calm Levi down, Eren settled for laying a hand on the raven’s back. He didn’t move it and just kept it there, hoping his warm body heat would stop Levi’s tremors until they were alone. He looked at Isabel and Furlan who were now sporting a knowing look between them. They knew that Levi needed much more than what he was giving, but they obediently kept their mouths shut on the matter.

“Why don’t we head back inside? I think there’s some things we need to talk about in private,” Hanji offered gently, being mindful of the delicate situation. Eren nodded silently as he waited for Levi to let him go, which the raven eventually did after a few more seconds. His arms slowly retracted and he stepped away from him. His eyes looked up and Eren almost reared back at the amount of pain and worry evident in those blue orbs. He managed to compose himself quickly and kept a leveled gaze on Levi, offering as much comfort as he could.

Levi stepped aside and Hanji, being given the okay to start moving, began to walk back towards the doors that led inside HQ. Isabel and Furlan followed after her, but only when he and Levi joined them. They all made a little group and Eren didn’t fail to notice that he was placed in the middle with his friends surrounding him. They were like a shield, preventing any other soldiers from coming into their little bubble.

They passed by a few other recruits, some of which curious as to what was going on. Their eyes were trained on him as they walked, his friends doing nothing to hide his frame since Isabel and Levi were slightly shorter than him and Furlan being the same height. Eren ignored their looks and focused straight ahead, refusing to let the somewhat judgemental eyes get to him.

He had been making excellent progress in that regard, though he could still let his emotions get in the way. Those officers were the perfect example of who could push his buttons and piss him off. The others really wouldn’t be a problem so long as he remembered to keep his temper in check.

Hanji didn’t stop walking until she opened a door at the very end of the building, holding it open for the four of them to enter before she closed it behind herself. Eren watched as she locked the door, making his brow raise in suspicion. Why would Hanji lock her door? It wasn’t like he was some sort of secret. Everyone in the Survey Corps knew that he would be returning today so there was no point in keeping him locked away.

“Why’d you lock the door?” he asked. The scientist gave him a reassuring smile and raised her hands in a placating manner. “So that no prying eyes or ears will interrupt. No one is on this side of the building since it’s only for higher-ups like Erwin and I, but it’s better safe than sorry,” she explained. Eren nodded, accepting the other’s answer.

“But why are we here in the first place? Shouldn’t we get Eren settled back in his room and things like that?” Furlan wondered as he stood near the window, his arms crossed in front of him. For the first time since his arrival, Eren took a good look at the blonde, wanting to see for himself if he was alright. Even though he just saw Furlan yesterday, he would always think back when he was knocked out cold and lying on the ground with a titan looming over him, just seconds away from death.

Furlan could’ve died that day for sure and if it wasn’t for his sudden instincts showing themselves, then Eren knew for a fact that he would’ve lost another loved one. Furlan was almost taken away from him and it made his protective instincts come to the surface. His eyes wandered, surveying Furlan from head to toe. His body looked to be alright, but there was a small bandage covering the side of the blonde’s head.

It was probably because of some type of bruising caused by his fall. Eren didn’t actually see him get tossed around, but he certainly heard the impact and it made him wince as he remembered that horrible sound. Furlan was just lucky that he didn’t break a bone or something along those lines.

Maybe he had been staring for too long because Furlan actually caught his eye and after a brief staring contest, the older boy gently smiled at him. “I’m okay, Eren. Just some bruises and a bit of a headache. I’ll be fine in a few more days,” the blonde informed. Hearing Furlan’s reassurance made Eren calm down and he smiled back at his friend, his worries at ease knowing that there was no serious brain damage done.

“Do you have any pain medicine for the headache?” he asked, turning to Hanji for the answer. The brunette was also a very good doctor and it was most likely her that took care of Furlan while he was injured. “I gave him some pills for whenever the pain becomes too much to handle. Luckily, he hasn’t been using it as much as I thought,” Hanji answered smoothly.

Eren nodded and looked around Hanji’s office, trying to pass the time. The room wasn’t fancy by any means. There was a desk near the window with some papers scattered on it and a few pens littered on the hardwood floor. Behind the desk was a bookcase, stacked with so many journals and other little accessories that Eren was worried it would topple over.

Behind him was a small table and a few chairs around it as well as a couch, comfortable and spacious enough to fit about six to seven people at a time. On the table were four cups of either tea or coffee, partially empty of whatever liquid was inside. The cream-colored walls seemed a bit faded, with a few stains splattered here and there. There was a lamp attached to the ceiling with tiny light bulbs that were turned off, more than enough to bring some light into the room.

“Why don’t you sit down, Eren? As I’ve said before, we have much to discuss,” Hanji spoke, motioning towards the couch. Eren graciously accepted her offer and settled down, the soft material of the couch doing wonders for his sore back. The carriage ride to get here had put a strain on his body, the seats too hard for him to get comfortable. He leaned back against the cushion, sighing in relief at the cool temperature of it. He felt the couch dip and he looked over to see Levi settling beside him, looking anywhere but at him.

The raven was so close to him, but with the way he was huddled on the couch, he seemed to be miles away. Levi looked down at his boots, acting like they were the most interesting thing in the world. Isabel sat in the chair beside the small table with Hanji in front of her while Furlan remained by the window, leaning against the glass.

“What sort of things do we need to talk about?” he asked, never tearing his eyes away from Levi. The raven still hadn’t looked up, preventing Eren from seeing what was going on with him. “I, as well as your friends, would just like to know about your time spent in that cell. Those officers surely didn’t make your stay very comfortable,” Hanji elaborated, placing her elbows on the table and folding her hands under her chin.

Eren cringed slightly as he thought back on his week locked in that dingy cell. It was possibly the most uncomfortable he felt in a long time and he never wanted to be back there again, actually preferring to be in the courtroom instead. At least then he would breathe in fresh air and not urine or vomit. Just the thought of those disgusting smells made his stomach churn.

“I’ll take your sour face as an affirmative,” Hanji noticed, giving Eren an apologetic look. He smiled reassuringly at the woman, letting her know that he didn’t blame her in the slightest for what he experienced. It was partially his fault since he went off. Though his anger and protectiveness were justified, he really needed to be more in control of his emotions. He had to be more responsible, especially now that his friends were roped into this mess as well.

“What exactly happened during that week? As much as it’ll probably piss me off, I still want to know,” Isabel said, resting her chin against the palm of her hand. She looked anxious to hear about what he went through, probably thinking the worst. She didn’t really view the Garrison or Military Police as human beings since they so easily wanted to kill him and their words against Levi.

Though he absolutely hated to think about his week in captivity, Eren sucked it up and forced himself to recall everything he could about it. “It was dreadful, as you would all expect, but there was nothing I could do to make them treat me any different. The things they said to me were just awful,” he began, his eyes distant as he visualized what he went through. The officers’ voices, filled with malice and disgust, assaulted his ear drums.

“What kinds of things did they say?” Furlan asked, his voice tinted with anger. Eren licked his dry lips before opening his mouth again. “They said that they didn’t understand why Zackly let me live. That if it was up to them, I wouldn’t even be there at all. Instead I would be on an examination table, with a knife cutting me open. They even joked about coming inside and doing it themselves,” he explained.

He heard a sharp intake of breath and looked up, seeing Isabel and Furlan with matching looks of rage and disbelief. Isabel’s hands were clenched so hard that her knuckles turned white and Furlan’s mouth was set in a snarl, his blue eyes turning a shade darker. Even Hanji looked upset, her jaw tense and hands coiled tight.

“What?” Levi whispered harshly, making Eren turn towards the raven beside him. He saw Levi’s eyes trained on him, a dark shadow almost concealing his entire face. There was so much anger present in the raven’s expression that Eren feared for the officers’ lives. “They dared to make a _joke?_ Did they do something else to you? Did they touch you in any way?” Levi asked, his voice anxious and alarmed.

Sensing that Levi was on the verge of panicking again, Eren quickly placed a hand on his friend’s knee, squeezing it comfortingly. “They didn’t do anything to me. They’re all talk and no action. Besides, even with the way I was chained up, none of them would dare to go inside with me. I made it perfectly clear to them that if they did, none of them would be leaving intact,” he assured.

Levi seemed to calm down, but the anger in his eyes was still easily distinguishable. “Even so, if I ever find those smug bastards, _I’ll make them pay._ Who do they think they are?” he promised venomously, a vein becoming prominent on his forehead. In the back of Eren’s mind, he hoped for the officers’ sake that they never boasted about what they said in Levi or his other friends’ presence. Otherwise they would never be heard from again.

“I can’t believe they would say those things! Do they have no sense of morals?” Isabel seethed, and Eren knew that if it were possible, steam would be coming from her ears. She had a few more issues with her temper than he did since she refused to tone it down. The redhead had walked out on any and every attempt that Eren, Levi and Furlan used to teach her some manners. Even Levi, who was very strict and had a temper of his own that far outweighed Isabel’s, couldn’t do anything to control her.

“They see me as a monster and nothing else so it’s understandable why they’re so hateful towards me. It’s not something I wasn’t expecting,” Eren said and shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. He was already used to such negative comments being made about him, as sad as that was. From the moment he realized his titan abilities, he knew that he was forever separated from the others. Most of them didn’t view him as a human anymore, his friends and a select others being the exceptions.

He was an outcast now, unfitting to live in the human or titan world. He certainly didn’t want to be with the other titans. Just the thought of being in the same world as them made him feel sick. He wanted to stay here with his friends, the people he loved and needed to protect. He needed them just as much as they needed him and there was nothing strong enough that would make him pull away from them. He cared so much for them that it could almost be called an obsession to some people, but he didn’t care.

“You’re _not_ a monster! How could you even think to agree with those evil bastards?” Levi accused, directing his glare at him. Eren met the raven’s gaze head on, unfazed by the anger and confusion apparent on Levi’s features. He was practically immune to Levi’s glares by now, only allowing himself to fear him when he knew that Levi’s temper had been crossed. Right now Levi was hurt and Eren knew that he wasn’t in any danger.

“I’m not saying I agree with them, only that they have the right to fear me for what I am. If you didn’t know me then you’d act like them as well,” Eren restated. At this, Levi’s glare intensified and the muscle in his jaw twitched in annoyance. “Don’t compare me to them like that. It doesn’t matter because I do know you and I’m one of the few who understands that you won’t hurt us. Nothing they say is going to deter me from that,” Levi ranted.

Before Eren could say one more word, Hanji spoke from her seat to try and diffuse the steadily rising tension between the two of them. “Okay, that’s enough you two. Nothing can change what already happened so let’s just put that aside for now. Eren, I’m glad that you aren’t affected by those officers’ words, and I want you to keep that attitude going. You can’t let them get to you no matter what because you have much more to lose next time,” Hanji warned seriously. Her brown eyes flickered towards his friends as further explanation.

“There won’t be a next time, I promise,” Eren vowed, his titan growling at the knowledge that his friends were now involved in his mess. They didn’t even do anything against the others, only because of their relation to him were they stuck in this complicated scenario. The words that the officer said earlier before he left were forever etched into his brain, a constant reminder of what fate would befall his friends if he screwed up again.

Zackly had also explained to him what would happen if he was caught misbehaving again. He wouldn’t get another trial, instead he would be immediately shot or hanged, depending on what the higher-ups decided. His friends would be gathered and since they were now his guardians, a result of Erwin’s deal with Zackly, they would also be punished for his betrayal against humanity. They wouldn’t be thrown out of the Survey Corps like he initially thought, rather they would be killed alongside of him.

His friends would die if he wasn’t extremely careful with his titan abilities. Not only did Eren have to protect his friends from the threat of the titans, but now he had to protect them from the humans inside. Much of the Military Police and Garrison had it out for them, still believing that they somehow knew of his strange powers and were titans themselves, just waiting for the right time to take everything away from them.

Eren didn’t know why they still believed that. He was the only one that had these special abilities as far as he knew. They had the right to be weary of him, but accusing his friends of being the same monster as him was crossing the line. The only person that they had the right to be suspicious about was Isabel since they were related, but Levi and Furlan were innocent. The raven and blonde shouldn’t be labeled as creatures or monsters, but because of him they were.

The guilt must’ve shown on his face because soon he felt a warm hand on his shoulder, making him turn around. Furlan was behind him with a small smile on his face and his grip tightened, but not to the point where it hurt. It was just a reminder that Eren wasn’t truly alone in this world. “None of this is your fault, Eren. Whatever happens from this point on, we’ll stick together,” Furlan promised, his voice as honest as he could make it. Eren shook his head in denial, rubbing his forehead in his hand.

“You all would’ve been safe if I never dragged you into my mess. Because of me, you’re all on death row,” Eren admitted. The words tasted like acid on his tongue and it made him feel even more awful about the situation they were all in. Isabel’s scoff was easily heard in the silent room. “We were all on death row anyway so it’s not anything new. And if you thought that we would just leave you high and dry to those soldiers then those titan powers of yours have really screwed with your brain. There’s no way we were just gonna stand back and watch you get killed. If you die, then we’ll follow,” Isabel said.

“Of course, we’ll do everything to prevent that from happening. But if that’s what fate has in store for us then we’ll do it together. How could we go on if you’re not here?” Furlan added quickly when Eren made a move to argue with Isabel. The brunette couldn’t believe what he was hearing right now. His friends were willing to die with him if it came to that? They would give up the possibility of having a peaceful life just so that they could stick together. Eren didn’t know how to feel about that.

He was happy that his friends were willing to sacrifice themselves for him. It proved that they cared and loved him just as much as he loved them. They wouldn’t abandon him when the situation got out of hand. But as relieved as he was, he was also angry. His friends were going to throw all of their hard work away if they died alongside him. Their years of training would’ve gone to waste should they decide to throw in the towel.

Eren couldn’t bring himself to yell at his friends though. He would do the same thing for each of them if the situation was reversed. How could he expect his friends to let him die when he couldn’t do the same? He was always trying to protect them whenever they were in possible danger. Sometimes it would lead to more trouble for him, which was proved last week, but as long as his friends were safe it didn’t matter. They were his first priority, now and always.

“Eren, I know that you don’t want to lose any of your friends, so to help you with that, you’ll be training with me every day until you can get the hang of your titan. We need to get that little beast of yours under control,” Hanji ordered suddenly, stopping his train of thought. Eren almost forgot that the woman was even there in the first place. Her words made him come back to the present, reminding him of his many responsibilities.

The one thing that he absolutely needed to do was control his titan. When he had transformed the third time to seal the wall, he wasn’t entirely in sync with the beast inside of him. His emotions were out of control and he didn’t know how to use his strength and power. Those officers from the Military Police would surely keep tabs on him from now on and Eren needed to prove to them that he wasn’t some mindless beast like the other titans outside the walls. He could be useful and Hanji was going to help him.

“What if he slips up during training? Eren’s not like those other monsters, but he isn’t fully in control either,” Furlan asked the scientist, finally removing his hand from Eren’s shoulder. The woman casually waved him off, a smile starting to appear on her face. “That’s why all three of you will be with me during his daily trainings. You’re in charge of him after all so you should know about his progress,” she said.

“But won’t that interfere with our other duties? How will we manage that?” Isabel spoke, looking confusingly at the woman in front of her. Eren gnawed on his bottom lip as he thought over his cousin’s question. His friends had many other duties as new soldiers and they also had to train themselves. He didn’t want to pull his friends away from their activities and burden them. They had to keep an eye on him at all times and it was seriously going to mess up their daily schedule.

“We’ll make it work somehow. No way are we going to let Eren do this by himself. He needs our help to get through this and we have to be there for him,” Levi said rather loudly from his sitting position on the couch. It was the first time in a while that the raven had spoken, his voice a calm distraction from the bustle going on in Eren’s mind. Isabel looked a bit skeptical but she didn’t argue with him, looking at Hanji for an explanation.

“I’ll talk to the others about organizing your schedules from here on out. They’ll understand why so you don’t have to worry about that too much,” Hanji reassured the redhead, finally calming her nerves down. Isabel nodded in acceptance and relaxed in her chair. Hanji took a deep breath seconds later and stood up, making all four heads turn to her. “I think that’s all I need to hear for today. I’m going to talk to Erwin about your schedules now to get that out of the way. Eren, I’ll meet you at the training grounds tomorrow morning at seven,” she said.

Eren groaned at the mentioned hour but dutifully nodded his head. He didn’t like waking up early for anything, but he understood that his training came first and it was a top priority. He couldn’t train with the other soldiers obviously, so that meant he had to get started way before they did. The rest started training at around nine or so, which meant that Eren was going to have about an hour and a half with Hanji. He just hoped it was enough.

“Alright. I’ll see you all later,” Hanji said before she left her office, closing the door behind her. Now with the chattery woman gone, it was deathly silent in the room. Neither Eren or his friends said a word, unable to come up with a decent conversation. All of a sudden, Isabel sighed and stood from her chair as well. “I need to go and finish my chores. I left them unfinished once I heard you were coming. Hopefully I won’t get chewed out by one of the higher-ups,” she said, wincing slightly at the thought of getting reprimanded.

Against his better judgment, Eren chuckled at his cousin’s worried face. She was incredibly stubborn and strong, but she still feared some of the other soldiers in the branch. But the person that she feared the most wasn’t even a higher-up. It was Levi. She had a reason to fear the raven after all. Levi was scary when his buttons were pushed and absolutely no one was safe from his wrath. Eren recalled when they were little kids and he accidentally embarrassed Levi while they were in town by giving him a kiss on the nose. That led to Levi’s fist making a home on Eren’s head and being yelled at, and the brunette had to suffer with a huge bump for weeks.

After that, he had been more cautious about showing Levi affection while out in public. He really didn’t want to suffer through another incident like that, especially since Levi’s strength had dramatically increased these past few years. Speaking of the raven, Eren turned towards the other teen on the couch, noticing that he looked nervous and out of place. He absolutely refused to meet Eren’s gaze, even though he was sure he could tell he was looking at him.

“I better go too. Last thing I want is to be held back from dinner,” Furlan agreed as he stood beside Isabel. Eren nodded, understanding what his friends were really trying to do. They were giving him some alone time with Levi so that they could say whatever they wanted to say. This was something between the two of them and luckily, his friends understood that. They knew more than anybody that Levi needed Eren’s reassurance whenever something like this happened because he had a unique ability to calm him down.

Isabel and Furlan made their quiet exit, closing the door behind them, leaving Eren alone with Levi. This was the first time in over a week where they could be alone and it was somewhat exhilarating to finally have Levi all to himself. The raven still didn’t look at him and his body was tense, the muscles coiled tight as if he was prepared to get into a fight. Eren didn’t like seeing his friend so unresponsive and he slowly scooted closer on the couch, trying to eliminate as much distance between them without getting Levi worked up.

A few more minutes of tense silence greeted the two before Eren couldn’t take it anymore. “I know you have something to say so just come out and say it,” he spoke as bluntly as possible. He didn’t want to waste anymore time by beating around the bush. Levi sighed dejectedly and finally lifted his head from its bowed position, letting Eren see those blue eyes he loved so much. The heartbreak and fear present in them almost made him recoil in shock, but he managed to keep his composure.

“I almost lost you…” Levi whispered, the pain easily noticeable in his tone. Just those four words were enough to break Eren’s heart, shattering it into a million pieces. “I thought they were going to kill you and...and I just couldn’t handle it,” the raven continued, his voice cracking near the end. His blank facade was breaking and Eren could only watch as Levi began to tremble in front of him. He had never seen Levi lose his composure like this in all the years they had known each other.

When Levi lost his mother, he was obviously heartbroken and stricken with grief, but he didn’t lose himself like this. Back then, the raven had simply shut down and wanted to be left alone. He didn’t talk or eat, preferring to stay in his room and lay in bed all day. It had taken weeks for Eren to finally force Levi to be human again, but he eventually pulled himself together and moved on with his life. Now, Levi was even more of a mess than before.

Eren knew that Levi had separation anxiety, which explained why he never strayed far from him or Isabel and Furlan. He always made sure to keep at least one of them in his sights, an act that was quite hard to achieve when there were so many other soldiers bustling around. It was a consequence that resulted from the traumatic experience he went through as a child. Losing his mother, and then losing Eren’s over a year later, made Levi frantic about his friends’ safety. The raven would do anything to keep them out of harm’s way, but Eren knew that he wouldn’t be able to do that forever.

Eren didn’t even want to imagine what Levi had gone through when he had been taken away after he sealed the wall. And seeing him chained up in that courtroom, ready to be shot at a moment’s notice, probably scared Levi to death. When Levi had tried to attack Minister Nick and the other men, Eren knew it was because of what they were threatening to do with him. Levi never took insults against his friends well, and his temper was breached on that day.

“I’m sorry that you had to go through that, Levi. I never wanted you to see me like that and when I finally laid my eyes on you yesterday, all I wanted to do was plead for forgiveness. It was my fault that I was in that situation in the first place,” Eren said shamefully, tilting his head down. He never imagined that he would be the reason why this world was thrown into another situation. A sharp pain coming from his shoulder made him jump and groan in discomfort, his hand instantly latching onto his sore spot to ease the throbbing sensation.

When he looked at Levi again, the shorter teen had an angry look in his glossy eyes. Even while he was looking sad, he could pull off being infuriated just as well. Just when Eren was about to ask why Levi had done that, the raven cut him off. “Don’t you ever blame yourself again, you hear me? Because of you, many innocent people were saved and we didn’t lose another district like before,” Levi hissed in warning, his hand curled into a fist, daring to hit Eren again and leave another bruise.

Eren shakily nodded and swallowed a few times, suddenly afraid of Levi’s temper. After that, the raven calmed down slightly and lowered his fist, letting it rest on his lap. “You saved so many people, Eren. Just because those officers say that you’re a monster, that doesn’t mean you are one. Isabel, Furlan and I think that you did the right thing. It’s them that were in the wrong because they put you in a position where you almost lost control. You believe us, don’t you?” he asked doubtfully.

“Of course I trust you. It’s just going to be a lot to get used to now that everyone knows what I really am,” Eren responded, imagining what he would have to deal with for the rest of his life. “Not everyone’s going to be so accepting of me, I know that for sure. Hell, even the friends that I made might not even want to be seen with me,” he finished. That thought made him feel sad. He would lose the friends that he cared about and he would be alone all over again. He couldn’t imagine how dull his life would be like without Connie and Sasha’s pranks or Christa’s sweet smile and laughter or Marco’s friendly attitude. They would hate him for sure now.

“If they really value you, they won’t care about your new abilities. Sure, they might be a bit wary around you for a while, but they won’t shun you,” Levi reminded. Eren let himself smile a bit at that, finding Levi’s words comforting. “And you can bet your ass that I won’t abandon you. Isabel and Furlan won’t either, so you’ll still have us to lean on. Just like always,” the raven finished, his tone becoming lighter the more he spoke.

It seemed like Levi was slowly loosening up and that made Eren happy. He liked it when his friends were happy because it meant that nothing was bothering them. “I know I can count on you three to have my back. Nothing’s going to change that, right?” he asked shyly. His green eyes peaked through his brown hair towards Levi and the raven huffed and rolled his eyes. “Idiot,” Levi insulted, though there was no real malice behind his tone if the smile on his face was any indication. “You’ll never shake any of us away. You’re stuck with us forever,” he promised, chuckling quietly so that only Eren could hear.

Eren couldn’t help it and laughed until he ran out of breath, clutching his sides as they contracted. He could hear Levi chuckling along with him and he smiled brightly, swinging an arm around Levi’s shoulders and pulling his body against his own. Levi made a noise of protest, but he immediately ducked his head under Eren’s chin, his raven hair tickling the brunette’s exposed skin. Eren calmed down after a few minutes and enjoyed the feeling of Levi’s warmth, settling against the couch and pulling his friend with him.

Their intimate position made Eren confident that he wouldn’t lose Levi as a friend, especially when they needed each other so much. They were each other’s half and you couldn’t have one without the other. If Eren died, then Levi would not hesitate to go along with him. It scared him, but he accepted that as his fate if it happened. There was nothing he could do to change it, but he didn’t want Levi to be put in that kind of situation again, alone and unsure of what would become of the people he cared about.

Eren didn’t want to be the reason why Levi cried or lost hope in the world. He wanted to be the reason Levi smiled and laughed and kept on living. Levi might need Eren to depend on when things got tough, but what the raven didn’t realize was that Eren needed _him_ to keep on going every single day, just because.


	18. Nine: Part One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One month after Eren’s trial, he becomes a part of the Survey Corps’ 57th expedition outside the walls. With his friends at his back, it’s time for him to put his training to use. But is it really going to be that easy?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again, everyone! It’s great to see you all again so soon! I feel like I was here yesterday, but it’s been a few days actually. I’m here with another chapter and it’s where the good stuff comes in. Though this chapter is just a build up of what’s going to happen next time there’s still some plot.
> 
> It’s funny because this was supposed to be chapter eleven, but about a quarter of the way through writing this, I decided to stop and do the previous one. I just thought that I was going too fast and I needed something in the middle to balance it out.
> 
> This chapter’s pretty long so hopefully it will hold you all off until I start on the next update. I usually work on my chapters during school when I have some free time and it’s great during my last class because it’s basically my free period.
> 
> As always, thank you for reading this far and leave comments and/or kudos to show your support! I apologize in advance if you see any mistakes that I forgot to correct.
> 
> This chapter will (again) be in Eren’s POV.
> 
> *Takes place a month after Eren’s trial.*

Never in a million years did Eren think he would be in the situation he was in now. He’d dreamed of this ever since he was a child, working scenarios in his brain of how this day would turn out. Would he die or would he get to see another day? Would he still have his family intact by the end of it or would he lose them in the midst of it all? Every time he thought that, his childish mind was quick to tell himself that things would turn out okay. Now when he knew just how dangerous the outside world could be, he wasn’t as quick to say that.

The walls intimidated him, their tall silhouettes shadowing him and the rest of the Survey Corps members participating in this expedition. Though he’d been this close to the walls hundreds of times before, never once had he stopped and looked up at them. He never allowed himself to gaze at them in wonder because he knew that it would only make him hate them even more.

But today, with the sun brightening up the sky and not a cloud to be seen, these walls wouldn’t hold him back anymore. On this day he would finally get to see what the outside world was like. True, he was nowhere near the ocean or mountains of snow and sand, but this journey was more than enough to quell his hunger of experiencing something new.

He wondered if what he had seen in those books as a child would live up to his expectations. Just imagining the forests full of luscious green leaves and tall trees made him jittery, his patience wearing thin as he and everyone else waited for the gate to be lifted. He was tempted to steer his horse through the crowd and make a run for it, but a light nudge on his ankle prevented him for doing so.

Looking beside him, he saw Levi on his own horse staring at him with those blue eyes he cherished so much. The raven knew what he was thinking, the disapproving arch in his brows giving it away, and Eren found himself smiling sheepishly at his friend in apology. Levi huffed in slight annoyance and gave him one final look before he turned away from him, whispering something to Furlan.

It was most likely something along the lines of keeping him in their sights, and Eren didn’t even try to act offended. He couldn't object with Levi’s desire to keep him close by because he was thinking the same thing. With so many soldiers participating, it was very likely that he would lose sight of his friends, especially if they were in a forest.

The last thing Eren wanted was to be alone, filled with the dreaded feeling of not knowing where his friends were. It would eat at him and he would lose his focus, something that could certainly lead to his demise. He didn't want to die and leave his friends alone in a destructive world such as this. He also didn't want to lose any of them to the titans lying in wait for them. Those bastards were sneaky little shits and they had the habit of surprising them when they least expected it.

The image of seeing Levi, Isabel, or Furlan at the mercy of a titan had his own beast going crazy, the low growl in his throat wanting to come out. Eren closed his eyes, taking deep breaths to calm his temper. Ever since he woke up after sealing the wall a little over a month ago, he realized that his emotions were harder to control than before. One of the emotions greatly affected was his protectiveness over his friends. If someone even looked like they wanted to harm them, Eren would lose his composure and attack.

That was exactly what happened at his trial when soldiers of the Military Police threatened to dissect and shoot Levi right in front of him. The sight of them ganging up on _his_ raven and the look of pure horror on Levi’s face sent him over the edge and he snapped. Unfortunately for him, but luckily for the soldiers, the chains shackled to his wrists prevented him from tearing them limb from limb. That was the first time Eren had felt so lost in his control, and after the trial was over and he was settled back in with his friends, Hanji had talked to him about his titan.

He asked her about his change in attitude and the woman answered him by revealing that since his titan was slightly more dominant, he was relying on instinct. He viewed his friends as family, so it was obvious that he would lash out should they be threatened by anyone he didn’t completely trust. The conversation was well executed, with Hanji answering any questions he had about his new biology.

Though, a topic that made him blush and splutter was when she asked, quite bluntly, why he was more protective of Levi. Thankfully, the raven wasn’t in the room, but he probably heard anyway since Hanji basically yelled it out to the world. He guessed that he knew why he was so possessive of his friend, but he wanted to hear what Hanji had to say.

She told him that she noticed his attitude during the trial when he had went against the Military Police, but she couldn’t come up with an answer as to why he did it. Eren couldn’t really say either, but the woman’s assumption made him almost fall out of his chair in shock and embarrassment.

She had suggested that Levi was his partner. And not like his friend or companion, but a _love interest._ Eren had no idea where she got that idea from, but she explained to him that since titans shared some characteristics of animals, they could also have what some people described as mates.

Mates, Hanji had said, happened when one individual chose another based on their characteristics and level of compatibility to each other. When one, the male, decided on his female counterpart, he would then be extremely protective over her, and this was a sign of him trying to show his worth and strength to his possible mate.

Eren still didn’t understand why, if what Hanji was saying was true, his titan viewed Levi as his mate. His brain told him to stop being so stupid because he knew the answer, but he didn’t want to voice it out loud. If he did, then there would be no denying what he was feeling for his friend.

Luckily, Hanji decided to speak for him on the matter. Apparently he wasn’t as subtle when it came to his feelings for Levi as he thought. If Hanji noticed it, then so did Isabel and Furlan. That would explain the knowing glances from Furlan and the slightly exasperated ones from Isabel.

Eren thanked whatever god that was watching over him that Levi hadn’t figured his feelings out yet. Hanji had asked him if he had any romantic feelings for the raven, and the only thing he could say was that he wasn’t sure. He had never felt anything like what he was feeling for Levi before, so he didn’t know if it could be called love or something else.

All he knew was that if Levi was far away from him for a long period of time, his focus would shift and he’d feel like something was missing. The only way for him to return to normal was if Levi appeared again or even if he heard his voice nearby. He knew without a doubt that he would do just about anything for Levi, even if it meant sacrificing himself.

The raven meant so much to him and he couldn’t fathom living without him. All those years spent together made him attached, something that wasn’t a very good thing where this job was concerned. However, he couldn’t change things now and he had to figure things out along the way.

Hanji had stopped pestering him about the possibility of Levi being his mate. Though, that didn’t stop the woman from giving him sly looks every chance she got. Right now, even with the tense situation, was no exception. He was given a small smirk and subtle wink from her before she turned away from him, focusing on the wall in front of her.

Eren sighed in defeat, knowing that the crazy scientist would never let him live this down. He shook his head, trying to clear his mind from those thoughts. Now was not the time to think about anything regarding his and Levi’s emotional connection. Maybe they could figure it out later when they weren’t being bombarded with orders and threats of titans.

“Prepare yourselves! The gate is about to be opened!” a voice shouted from the front, most likely a commander or something along those lines. Eren gripped his reins tighter, feeling his horse trot impatiently and shake its head. Sometimes Eren thought that this horse was him but as an animal, what with its boundless energy and speed.

“You ready for this, Eren?” Isabel asked from his left side, capturing his attention. His cousin looked excited, no doubt about getting to see the world outside the walls, but there was also a slight waver to her voice, like she was trying to keep her fear in check. He picked up on it right away, knowing his cousin’s moods and little habits.

He understood how she felt. After all, even though he was excited about getting out of this huge prison, he was still afraid of what could happen. He had no doubt that people were going to die, he just didn’t know who yet. Eren just hoped that it wasn’t one of his friends. It was selfish of him to think that, but he just couldn’t handle the thought of losing them.

Deep inside of him, Eren feared that _he_ would be the reason why his friends would die. One of the main jobs of this expedition was for the higher-ups to see how well he had improved this past month. With all of the training he did every day with Hanji, they expected him to be in control and do what they asked. The past thirty days had been hard, but he was proud to say that his training was shaping him to be a better titan. He wasn’t as prone to lose his emotions like before, mainly because Hanji had given him a stern talking to about him causing more harm than good, but partly because Levi had told him that he couldn’t control every single thing.

He had been angry at first, thinking that Levi was implying he wasn’t strong enough to protect him, Isabel, and Furlan, but the raven had explained that, though he had the strength of a titan, they did not and, consequently, had a higher chance of getting killed. He was just one person amongst the many others still alive, and it was impossible for him to prevent everything bad that would happen one way or another.

It was a tough pill to swallow, but Eren reluctantly understood that he wasn’t the strongest individual in the world. He had weaknesses and that was just how he was and nothing, whether he had titan powers or not, would change that. He saw the world in a new light that day and the only thing he could promise to himself was that he would do whatever he could to make sure he saved as many people as possible. He already did it once, surely he could do it again.

He gave Isabel a reassuring smile, hoping that it would ease her worries just a bit. As much as they both fought, Eren didn’t like seeing her look distraught or frightened. It just didn’t suit her to look so down. Isabel was a lively person, filled with happiness and determination. Seeing her be someone else unnerved him and it reminded him of the day when he found out about his titan abilities. Isabel crying her heart out as she desperately reached out to him broke his soul. He never wanted her to be seen like that again.

His attempts to cheer her up worked, though not as much as he wished. “I’m as ready as I’ll ever be,” he finally voiced, putting as much reassurance as possible. Isabel smiled in return and looked away from him, her eyes so similar to his own gazing in wonder at the gate, which was slowly lifting.

At the sight of it moving, Eren felt his heart thumping rapidly in his chest, almost like a bird’s wings as it flew through the sky. He saw the soldiers around him preparing themselves, their holds on their horses tightening and faces morphing into ones of hopeful determination.

An arm was lifted, one of the captains leading the expedition shouting out, “The 57th expedition outside the walls has now commenced! It’s time to show those titans the power of humanity!” The soldiers readily agreed, their responding shouts almost making his sensitive ears ring. He stayed quiet, unwilling to show his cooperation with the captain’s words.

He had heard those exact words many times before when he was a child and would sneak away from home to see the soldiers leaving. He would hide in the back but he could still hear those words echoing in his ears, attempting to give the soldiers confidence to go out there and put their lives on the line against the titans. It was both a confidence booster and a cheap trick. Even the captains knew that most of them wouldn’t return in one piece, or even at all, so they sucked them in by using their words so that none of them would back out at the last minute.

The soldiers quieted down as the gate was completely lifted. Since he was at the near back of the troops, Eren couldn’t really see anything beyond the few heads in front of him, but small traces of green were partially visible in the far distance. The sight of that lush and beautiful color excited him and he felt the adrenaline pumping through his veins.

A few of the horses neighed, they too sensing the change in atmosphere. “Ride forward! We will stay in standard formation until we reach our destination or a titan appears!” the captain ordered, pulling on the reins of his horse, causing the animal to whinny and run towards the gate. The rest of the troops followed after the older man, the sounds of hooves plowing the earth the only thing Eren could hear. Dirt was kicked up, encasing Eren in a bubble of the mass, making his eyesight a bit blurry.

He saw the soldiers in front of him ride forward into the cloud of dirt and he quickly followed after them, holding the reins of his horse in a firm grip. The leather of the strap felt warm in his palms and there was a small build up of sweat accumulating. He didn’t let himself lose his control of the horse though, especially in a place where he could easily get trampled over.

For a few seconds, the only thing he could see with his squinted eyes was the flying dirt and movement of heads in front of him. The strong vibrations from the many hooves thumping against the earth were all around him and he had to strain his ears to listen for any orders possibly being given.

When Eren came out of the other side of the gate, the cloud of dirt slowly vanished and the hooves began to sound more muffled, caused by the grass under their feet. Eren felt the warm sun shine on him and once he could see properly, he looked up and felt his breath leave his throat.

The sight that awaited him was breathtaking. Miles of lush green plants surrounded him, gently flowing in the wind as they sparkled when the sun hit them. The wonderful scent of fresh vegetation made him hungry for more and he greedily breathed in as much of it as possible. Even the air was different out here, as weird as that was.

Inside the walls, Eren thought the air was somewhat polluted. Thousands of people living in such a small space? Yeah, that didn’t sound so clean to him. But out here? The only thing that existed was clean and fresh. It was an eye opening realization and Eren didn’t want to return inside the walls if it meant that he would be introduced to the toxic air once more.

The sheer beauty of the landscape never seemed to bore him, even when they continued riding straight through for minutes at a time. He just loved seeing this part of the earth he lived on, untainted by the deaths of innocent people at the hands of the titans. There was no dried blood, no severed limbs, and most importantly, no titans.

When Eren had been in the HQ building a few hours ago, Hanji said that the titans were more likely to be farther away from the walls, probably hiding in the forest a few miles ahead. The brunette didn’t have a clue as to why the titans stayed there since they had all the space needed to roam for days, but he brushed it aside as an instinct type of thing.

Besides, they weren’t supposed to get near any titans on this expedition. The only thing that they needed to accomplish was to get out as far into the outside world as possible and come back, hopefully without any interruptions. If any titans got in their way then they would use their gear to handle them.

However, Eren wasn’t under any circumstances allowed to transform into a titan. If, and only if, things got out of hand could he transform and take action. Erwin had been extremely strict with him on that rule earlier and Eren was in no position to go against the commander.

With the formation they were in now, it was even less likely that he would need to risk turning into a titan. He, his friends, and some of the Survey Corps’ best soldiers were placed near the back of the squad for safety purposes. Eren needed to be protected at all costs, seeing as he was humanity’s last hope for turning this war around, and he couldn’t die at a time like this.

There was still a bit of unease amongst the other soldiers whenever he was around. Eren, though a bit uncomfortable, didn’t hold them accountable for that. How could he expect them to welcome him with open arms when they knew that he still wasn’t completely under control? If he were in their shoes, he too would be a bit iffy around someone like that. Only Levi, Isabel, Furlan, and a handful of other soldiers were comfortable being around him.

The other new recruits like Jean, Connie, and Sasha were stationed near the wagons filled with supplies and were in charge of keeping track of the spare horses. Eren figured that the other horses were brought just in case an attack killed one of them and they needed to evacuate. The more backup supplies they had, the better chance they would have of surviving. Riding on horseback was better than running on foot, after all.

“Wow! This place is so cool!” Isabel said from his left. Eren glanced at her, keeping an eye on the path in front of him so that he wouldn’t knock someone over by accident. The astonished look on her face made Eren chuckle, but Isabel didn’t appear to hear him. If she had he was sure that she would’ve glared at him, which would probably lead to him getting a nasty bruise somewhere on his body later. It’s happened too many times for Eren’s liking.

The sight of Isabel so entranced by the beautiful grassland and blooming flowers reminded Eren of a time when all four of them went on a trip years ago to a nearby field, their excitement of seeing a new place inside the walls filling them with boundless amounts of energy. They had stayed there for almost the entire day, playing games and getting their feet wet in the nearby lake. Eren could still visualize how clear the water had been, the sun making it sparkle like diamonds.

He remembered Isabel’s joyous laugh as she splashed him with water and him doing the same to her. She had looked so innocent back then, with wet strands of red hair plastered to her face and an infectious smile gracing her lips. It became even more pronounced when he had accidentally splashed some water on Levi, who had been behind Isabel at the wrong time because she had ducked.

Surprisingly, Levi didn’t get upset, rather he had glared playfully at him and got his payback by pouring water all over him. Somehow in all of that mess, Furlan had been dragged in as well, most likely by Isabel’s pestering, and it resulted in them getting all wet. They got sick the next day, but Eren didn’t care at that point. He and his friends were able to have fun and just be kids and that was all that mattered.

Remembering that memory tugged at Eren’s heart and he desperately wished that they could experience something like that again. It had been so long since they had taken a day to just relax and have some fun like before and Eren made the decision to look for a place so that all four of them could relax in the near future.

He wanted to see his friends smile and laugh again. It had been too long since he heard their laughter and saw their dazzling smiles, over five years in fact. When would they be able to let their worries go and do things normal teenagers did? They weren’t even eighteen yet, but they were out here, feet away from death at the hands of those titans. They were still children in some people’s eyes and they had to grow up as soldiers at such a young age.

Nothing in this life was fair for anyone, especially them. They were the ones who had to suffer through the pain and terror of going against the titans so often. Their lives were ruined in the blink of an eye, crushed and left to rot in a place where no one could ever find them. They were watching as death took away more and more people every time, each one adding years of sorrow and depression.

Eren wondered if this was how they were going to live their life from now on. Was this how life was supposed to turn out for them? Were they born to suffer through this pain and horror and die so soon? He didn’t want to live like that at all. He was taught that living was a blessing, a gift that was cherished from birth until death. Eren had no desire to keep on living like this.

He joined the Survey Corps for a reason and that was to build a better future for the next generation. For his kids, their kids, and their kids, he would suffer through anything if it meant that the titans would be exterminated once and for all. They had their time and now it was their turn to have a chance to live. It was an even trade, no?

“I can’t believe how beautiful it is,” Furlan marveled as he looked at the sky, a few birds flying overhead and casting shadows onto the long grass. “It’s like we’re in a completely different world,” he added. Eren could see the gears turning in his friend’s head and knew what the blonde was thinking. This was a hundred times better than what they had seen in those books years ago. They couldn’t even compare to the wonderful sight in front of him.

“What do you think, Levi?” Isabel asked, her curious tone easily noticeable. At the mention of the raven, Eren’s eyes turned to his opposite side, finding Levi next to him riding his horse as he looked around him. Eren knew that Levi wasn’t forward with his emotions, choosing to keep them locked up inside as a consequence of witnessing his mother’s gruesome death at such a young age. But seeing Levi’s expression now, it was like he was seeing his real friend for the first time in so long.

His eyes were slightly wider than usual, the blue in his irises becoming a shade brighter. They seemed to glitter when the bright sun hit them, and Eren couldn’t help but think that Levi looked so beautiful in that moment. His mouth was parted, as if he couldn’t find the words to say that would properly express what he was thinking. His whole mood had changed and he looked like a little kid rather than a feared soldier. There was still some innocence left in Levi and Eren didn’t want the raven to lose that part of himself.

“It’s certainly not what I was expecting,” Levi eventually said, his voice airy and breathless. It seemed that even someone as stoic as Levi wasn’t immune to the beauty of the outside world. As much as he tried to play it off, Eren could easily tell that the raven was captivated by the endless, clean, and bright landscape. Who wouldn’t be?

“If only we were here under different circumstances,” Furlan sighed in slight disappointment. The blonde’s words made Eren’s mood drop a bit, but he didn’t focus on that for long. He was getting the opportunity to see something that most of the people inside the walls couldn’t and that in itself was a grand opportunity.

“Way to kill the mood, Furlan,” Isabel grouched, her smile fading away into a thin line. Her eyes had dimmed as well, but the occasional sparkle in them never vanished. The redhead wasn’t letting her friend ruin the moment so easily.

Furlan merely shrugged in apology but he didn’t regret saying it. “I’m just telling the truth. We wouldn’t even be out here if it wasn’t for what he have to do,” he explained, blue eyes darting to Eren for a second before he looked away, focusing on the path the other soldiers were following.

“We know, but you don’t have to be a buzzkill for the rest of us. Just take it easy and take this moment to enjoy the sights around you, alright? Who knows if we’ll get to see it again,” Isabel advised, her voice getting softer and softer until she was whispering.

Eren stayed quiet, a nervous tension surrounding all four of them. The threat of death was still looming over them, even at a serene time such as this. This world held beauty, but it was accompanied by the intimidating sizes of titans roaming about, their heavy footsteps a warning for anyone that could hear them.

Anything could happen at this very moment and each minute that passed could be their last. A titan could jump out of nowhere and throw their formation off course. That would lead to everyone having to reroute and those titans would have the advantage since they needed to get back to their previous positions.

“Stop thinking like that. It’ll be no good for us to have that mindset at a time like this,” Levi spoke all of a sudden, effectively putting an end to the tension in the air. His tone was strict and authoritative, leaving no room for disagreement. He turned to Eren and the other two, giving them a slight glare that made the brunette nervous.

Levi was obviously cautious of this place and having Isabel and Furlan discuss about potentially dying out here was making him edgy and short-tempered. He was attempting to calm them down, which in turn would make him less tense and antsy. That was just how Levi worked. He was never afraid for himself, only for his friends.

Isabel opened her mouth, probably to argue her case, but she was interrupted by another voice butting into their rather serious conversation. “Hey, you four! What are you blabbering on about? Stop chattering and focus!” a soldier in front of them demanded, his head turning sideways to face them. Eren recognized the man as Oluo, one of the best soldiers in the Survey Corps today. He along with three others were Eren’s protection squad on this expedition.

Eren didn’t particularly like the soldier, even if he was rather skilled in his attacks. There was just something about the other that rubbed him the wrong way. His arrogance reminded him of Jean and the fact that he always boasted to pretty much everyone about the fact that he had more kills than most of them irked him. Still, he was a higher-up so Eren did his best to remain respectful towards the older man.

The same couldn’t be said for his friends though. Isabel, known for her reluctance to follow authority, frowned at Oluo. “I didn’t know we agreed on a vow of silence. I must have not heard the commander’s order,” she remarked sarcastically. Oluo choked on his tongue at her disrespect, eyes looking at Isabel like she had gone crazy. Even while he was facing forward, Eren could feel the smugness rolling of his cousin in waves.

To be honest, Oluo had it coming. Isabel had never liked him, in the beginning because of his weird attitude and cockiness, but it later escalated because of what the older had said about Eren and the three of them. On the first few days of being back in the Survey Corps’ custody, Eren and his friends had been placed with Oluo and his three squad members. It was a way for Eren to stay in line and get used to the other soldiers as well as to have more company.

When they had all been in the dining hall eating their breakfast, Oluo had bluntly said that he didn’t see why Eren was so precious to the higher-ups. “You’re just a kid, yet you and your playmates are viewed as the hopes for humanity. Pretty silly if you ask me,” Oluo had specifically said. To say that Isabel had been offended would be a huge understatement. She was absolutely _pissed._

She had stood up from her bench, murderous intent directed at the mouthy soldier. Levi and Furlan had tried to calm her down but she just shrugged them off. Eren didn’t even attempt to stop his cousin, knowing full well that Oluo had just dug his own grave with his choice of words. He wasn’t really bothered by the man’s insult, having been used to it from his days in his cell.

Isabel, though, didn’t experience that. She was still extremely defensive when it came to Eren, Levi, and Furlan and she tended to lose her cool when they were ganged up on. So when she stood directly in front of Oluo, Eren had expected for her to punch him in the face for his poor judgement. Instead, she had merely said, “These _playmates_ that you’re referring to have done more for this branch that you could ever hope to do. Don’t forget that I’m more than capable of taking you down a peg, sir. I suggest that you choose your words more carefully next time.”

Needless to say, Isabel had been on Oluo’s case after that. Whenever he was in the same room as her, she would give him a nasty glare and make sure he would see it before she would turn away and resume what she had been doing. She had no problems with the other three soldiers, Petra, Eld, and Gunther, and she got along with them really well, especially Petra.

Eren could understand why his cousin was drawn to the woman. Petra was very sweet and motherly towards them and Eren had felt so distraught over his mother’s passing that he had accepted Petra’s presence as a substitute mother. She did the same with Levi and Furlan and he knew that the raven and blonde loved the attention she gave them, even if Levi tried to brush her off sometimes. Petra always encouraged him to try harder in his training and made sure that they were all safe, making Eren remember his mother’s guidance and support.

Gunther and Eld were like the older brothers of the group, their strong presence a constant reminder to Eren that he wasn’t alone. The two men were strong in their own right and though they were more distant than Petra, they still showed their caring nature when the time called for it. It made Eren feel like he had more people to rely on in this dire situation. They, with the exception of Oluo, tried their best to help them and had their backs when something occurred.

He felt reassured with them by his side, acting as his defense on this expedition. Oluo, however, was just getting on his nerves. “Why you little–” the older man began, letting his emotions get the best of him. Another horse came in from Oluo’s right side, bumping into him and almost causing him to lose his balance.

He moved to the other side of Eren and his friends, trying in vain to seem unfazed as he looked at whoever pushed into him. On the other horse, adorning a green cape with the Wings of Freedom stitched on the back, was Petra. She had a disapproving look in her eyes as she glared at Oluo, causing him to shrink back like a puppy.

“Oluo, stop pestering them! They’ve never been on an expedition before so they’re obviously nervous and maybe a bit scared. Let them get their nerves out and if this is how they do it, then that’s their business,” Petra defended. She looked so serious that it actually made Eren nervous for Oluo. Petra was most likely the only one in the squad that could order Oluo around so easily. Though she never showed it, the ginger-haired woman was very strict and tougher than one thought.

“But they’re distracting me! They need to grow up if they wanna be in this branch!” Oluo complained, sounding so much like a child who didn’t get their way. Isabel huffed beside Eren, obviously not enjoying the sight of one of the best soldiers acting so immature in such a serious situation. “Don’t act like you’ve never been in their shoes before! In fact, I recall you almost shitting your pants on your first expedition,” Petra shot back, a smug look on her face as she watched Oluo turn red in embarrassment.

Eren’s eyes widened and he coughed to hide his chuckle, but Isabel had no shame in showing her amusement, laughing so loudly that it caught some other soldier’s attention. Furlan was laughing too, but at a more composed level than the redhead. And when Eren turned to look at Levi, he found the raven trying to hide a smile as he turned away from the group. “So what?! You did too!” Oluo said, still embarrassed at being put on the spot.

Petra shrugged nonchalantly, but Eren noticed that her cheeks turned a soft shade of pink, unable to completely hide her own shame in front of them. “I never said I didn’t. And that just means I understand what those four are going through,” she said. The look in her eyes told Oluo not to argue, and the other man just tsked and looked away.

Taking that as the end of discussion, Petra smiled triumphantly and gave Eren and his friends an apologetic look. She most likely felt bad that Oluo was bothering them so often even though Eren knew it wasn’t her fault. He gave her a thankful smile and watched as Petra rode forward, making sure to put some space between Oluo and the rest of them.

“At least she’s on our side,” Furlan commented as they were left alone once again. He especially had a strong relationship with Petra since his own mother abandoned him on the streets when he was young. Furlan had survived by himself for years until Isabel found him one day, sitting in an alleyway and munching on a piece of stale bread. Isabel had brought him home with her and her adoptive parents easily accepted Furlan into their little family.

Eren assumed that Isabel’s adoptive parents were killed when the wall was breached since neither of them came back. Ever since then, Furlan had struggled with finding any type of attachment with others since he kept himself guarded pretty well. The blonde could get easily attached and whenever he made some type of connection, that person would be ripped away from him. Now when he viewed Petra as a substitute mother, Eren hoped that he wouldn’t have to say goodbye to the orangette. That would certainly break Furlan’s heart all over again.

“She’ll always be on our side. She might be comrades with Oluo, but even she says that he annoys her sometimes because of his nasty attitude,” Eren said, keeping his eyes on the path of soldiers in front of him with a smile on his lips. He let his gaze fall on Petra for a second before he looked away again. His horse was easily keeping up with the others and occasionally whined when she was pulled back by Eren by her reins because she kept on running way too fast. Eren cooed apologetically at her whenever he had to do that, but he didn’t want his horse to tire herself out when they had just begun the mission.

If something went wrong, she was the only thing that could get him to safety if all else failed. His horse was the best when it came to physical shape and stamina, but she also tended to push herself even when they were just trotting around the fields. Isabel had even commented that he had instilled some of his traits onto her, and while she merely said it as a joke, Eren found himself partially believing her. He was part titan after all and they didn’t eat animals for some unknown reason. Maybe his titan was communicating with his horse without Eren even knowing. That would explain why Eren never really had a problem with figuring out what she needed whenever she whined. It was like they knew what the other was thinking with just one look.

A loud whistle coming from somewhere in front of him brought Eren out of his thoughts. The high-pitched noise made his ear twitch in slight annoyance. “It’s time to spread out! Follow the plan and stay in your groups! If a titan appears, send off a flare and act on your orders! Understood?” a voice that sounded like Erwin yelled. The rest made sounds of affirmation before Erwin ordered for them to move, which they all did with practiced ease.

Eren and his group really didn’t have to move much. They only slowed down their horses a bit so that the others could get into position, which consisted of the soldiers carrying spare horses and supplies. They flared around them and as they got further and further away, their forms turned into shadows.

Petra, Oluo, Eld, and Gunther rode in front and beside him while his friends stationed themselves behind him. It was customary for the veterans to be placed on the front lines on missions like these so that they could easily take out any titans that happened to cross their path. It was for safety purposes, but Eren felt confident that his friends would be able to handle the titans that got in their way. They weren’t in the top ten for nothing.

“Our goal is to make it to the forest before we encounter any titans. Under no circumstances are you allowed to engage in combat, Eren. Only if it is absolutely necessary can you get involved,” Eld reminded him, glancing back for a moment with a serious expression on his face.

Eren fought back a frown. He didn’t like doing nothing when he could help, but he couldn’t disobey orders, especially when he was under the Military Police’s radar almost constantly. His every move was recorded and if they found him doing something he shouldn’t then he’d be in trouble again. The last thing Eren wanted was to be in their possession to be killed and dissected on.

“I understand,” he complied, but the tone of his voice said the exact opposite. The older blonde gave him a sympathetic look, obviously able to tell Eren’s true feelings. “I know it’s hard for you to stay still at a time like this, but it’s for the best. We can’t afford to let something happen to you, Eren,” he explained, truly feeling sorry about the brunette’s predicament.

“I know, but I still don’t like it. It’s just not my style to stand around and do nothing,” Eren stubbornly responded. Eld shook his head and turned away from him, staying quiet as they rode on. By now the other soldiers were evenly spread apart and it was very difficult for Eren to see them, even with his enhanced eyesight. They were practically invisible.

“Are we close to the forest yet?” Isabel asked no one in particular, just looking for an answer. It took a while for someone to speak up. “I don’t think so, Isabel. We still have a way to go,” Petra said after a moment of thought. The redhead huffed in exasperation but otherwise stayed quiet.

Though he knew that they needed to go to the forest, Eren didn’t understand _why_ exactly that was the goal. Erwin has been pretty adamant about that piece of information, but he never explained the reason behind it. The commander had been pretty tight-lipped about that so it was impossible to get any information out of him. He didn’t really owe them an explanation anyway since they were still rookies and wouldn’t be able to do anything about it.

Eren had tried asking Petra and the other three, but they claimed they didn’t know what Erwin was going on about. They were either lying or they really had no idea what was going on. Eren wouldn’t put it past Erwin to keep this to himself. The commander had a history of keeping secrets from his other soldiers. Maybe Hanji knew, but the scientist wouldn’t tell them anyway. As vocal as she was on a regular basis, even she knew when something needed to be kept quiet.

The only thing he could do was go along with what he was told to do. He really didn’t like going into this mission without knowing what his role or ultimate goal was because then the chances of something going wrong were significantly higher. It wasn’t just his life at stake here, but his friends’ as well. They had even less of a chance of making it out in one piece since they had to keep an eye on him and watch out for themselves as well.

Eren could still help though, that much was certain. He was exceptionally good with his 3DMG compared to the other rookies since he actually wanted to be a part of this branch. During the two years training, Eren took every opportunity he had to perfect his skill. Every time they had a break and he had nothing better to do, he would go to the training grounds and hook himself to the stationed 3DMG to practice. In the beginning he had a lot of trouble getting used to the gear and the extra weight around his middle, but he was nothing but determined and in only a few weeks he was able to get the hang of it.

He didn’t want to be a liability to anyone and he refused to be weak. He had seen his friends improving during those two years and he wanted to be strong like them too. He couldn’t get left behind and rely on them for protection. He didn’t need to be protected since he could take care of himself. These five years without his parents were proof enough that he could survive without them. He knew he was strong, even more so now that he had the advantage of being a titan, and he wanted to prove to everyone that he wasn’t a weak teenager with temper problems.

He didn’t want to be known in the Survey Corps as some rookie that messed everything up. He had potential, he just needed to find a way to use it. His titan could help them significantly, but the risk of him dying or getting injured was high. Some of the titans were slightly more intelligent than the rest and that posed a problem for everyone involved. They didn’t know what the titans were thinking, not that they could think anyway, so they had to be extremely cautious with every titan they encountered.

Eren hoped that the titans wouldn’t bombard them so soon. Almost every soldier here was a new recruit so they didn’t have the field experience like Eren and his friends. On that mission over a month ago, they were in charge of evacuating the district and getting everyone to safety. They didn’t have to kill titans like he did or have the pressure of sealing the wall. They just stood back and watched as he and his friends did the tedious work and celebrated afterwards.

This time, everyone had a job to do and it was almost guaranteed that they would come across a titan. Being out in broad daylight when the titans were at their most powerful was the perfect place for the beasts to have a lunch break. Whenever they even caught a glimpse of a human, they would go crazy and stop at nothing to get their hands on them. Well, what they didn’t realize was that humanity had their own titan to fight and it was just as powerful. Eren wasn’t a brute or something like that, but if push came to shove, then he’d show those titans just how much of a _beast_ he was.

A smirk made itself known on Eren’s lips, but he quickly wiped it away so it wouldn’t attract his friends’ attention. No need to have them think he was losing his mind right now. That would certainly draw some unwanted attention and Eren didn’t want even more people breathing down his neck. Having his friends was more than enough for him and he didn’t want strangers to invade his personal space.

“Hey, look at that!” Isabel announced, startling Eren and everyone else. The brunette looked at his cousin, curious about what captured her attention this time, when he saw her finger pointing in his opposite direction. He turned around in the general direction she was focused on and found nothing out of the ordinary. There was no movement, except the wind making the grass and flowers flow in the wind, and there were no titans in sight either. Eren was just about to claim that whatever Isabel had seen was just a figment of her imagination, but when he looked towards the sky, he suddenly understood what drew her attention.

There was smoke slowly rising in the sky, its small clouds a great contrast with the clear blue sky. Its bottom smoke was evaporating as it drifted higher and higher, making it easily noticeable for anyone in the area to see. At first, Eren thought it was someone lighting a campfire or something like that, as stupid as it sounded. Who in their right mind would go outside with nothing but a fire? That easily draws the titans’ attention. But upon closer inspection, Eren took back his previous thought and he felt sweat forming on his palms as he gripped the reins tighter.

The color of the smoke was black.

Black smoke meant that a titan had been spotted.

_A titan was coming their way._

And not just a normal, simple-minded titan. _An abnormal._

The one thing they were trying to avoid.

Eren felt a wave of panic overtake him and his breathing picked up, his chest rapidly rising and falling in tune with his erratic breaths. It was really happening. They were going to encounter a titan in just a matter of moments. Although the smoke signal was pretty far way, to the point where Eren couldn’t even see who had fired it, he knew that they didn’t have that much time to laze around. Titans moved pretty quickly and if the soldiers on that team didn’t either lead it away or kill it, it would be on its way here.

Eren couldn’t be anywhere near that titan. He needed to be protected at all costs and having a titan somewhere close by put his safety in jeopardy Eren didn’t want to face a titan right now, but not because he was afraid for himself. He was scared, no doubt about that, but it was because his friends were with him. If that or any other titan got in their way, his friends were put in danger and they’d have to make a plan fast. Battling inside the walls was completely different than having to fight the titans out in the open. Inside they had the advantage because they could use their gear anywhere. Outside in a place like this was not good at all because they couldn’t use their gear in a field. They needed to be in a forest where some stability was available.

If they didn’t get to the forest soon, they were in really deep trouble. Eren had no idea what was happening, but judging by the nervous looks shared between the four veterans, it wasn’t good. “Shit! I wasn’t expecting for us to deal with one this soon! They’ve never caught up with us this fast!” Eld said as he pushed his horse to go faster. Eren and the rest did the same, willing their animals to pick up the pace so that they would have a better chance at surviving.

“Just focus on getting to the forest for now! We can’t get caught out here in the open!” Petra ordered, showing her superiority and veteran mindset. The others nodded and rode even faster, their first priority being to get to the “safety” the forest provided. They didn’t really have a win-win situation at the moment since being in the forest was just as dangerous as being in a field. Like Hanji said before, titans liked to roam in the forests and preferred to wait there for their victims. Some did walk around outside, but higher numbers of them were still in the forest hiding.

At least there they could use their gear. That would buy them some time until they could come up with a better plan. They still had to be careful since they were most likely going to be surrounded by titans soon. That forest was big, but with dozens of titans hovering over them, space would be limited. Eren had confidence in Petra and the others though. They were veterans and had done this so many times. They’ve surely been through something like this in the past and they were still alive so that was a plus.

“I see the forest! Just a few yards away!” Oluo called out even as he kept riding. Eren looked around Gunther’s body and saw that they were indeed very close to their destination. The humongous trees in the distance was a saving grace and he sighed in relief, but he didn’t dare let himself relax in the slightest. They were still in danger and the only way for them to be safe again was to get rid of all titans they crossed paths with. They were in the way of them going back home and living to see another day.

“I see more flares! They’re getting closer and closer with each new one!” Furlan suddenly exclaimed, further increasing Eren’s anxiety. If the flares were getting closer, then that meant the soldiers haven’t been able to take care of the titan. Why were they having such a hard time? True they were mostly inexperienced, but surely they would’ve been able to do something to throw that titan off. Maybe there was more than one titan they were dealing with. That would explain why this situation was getting crazier by the minute.

He could feel the slight rumble underneath him and Eren swallowed nervously, knowing without a doubt what that meant. Whatever titan had managed to get through their formation was edging closer and closer, but why was it coming towards them specifically? Titans usually just run in any direction, not in a perfect line. This titan, whatever it was, had to be an abnormal of some kind. This behavior and the pace it was exhibiting was too strange for it to be a mindless one.

“Furlan, don’t focus on that right now! We have to get to the forest or we’ll be dead!” Petra commanded. She glanced back at all of them with a nervous look in her eyes before she faced away again. Eren realized that this was the first time that he had seen Petra or the rest of them like this. Even though they had been through this many times, they still panicked and were scared of whatever was going on. It wasn’t really helping Eren’s mood.

Eren took the time to glance at the blonde beside him and saw that he too was feeling restless. Furlan was usually the calm one of the four, but this situation was putting him on edge, and rightfully so. None of them have ever been through something like this and they were very much aware that they could die at any moment. They would probably not get used to this until a few years. _‘If we get to see a few more years,’_ Eren thought sourly.

Finally, they all reached the forest and the trees instantly shadowed the sun overhead. It felt cooler in here since there was no sun to add some warmth, but Eren was glad for the change in temperature. He was already warm thanks to his titan blood, and with having to wear this uniform and staying in the sun most of the time, he was basically a walking furnace. However, just because they reached their destination, that didn’t mean they stopped moving forward.

Petra and the others were all tense, something that Eren easily noticed judging by their stiff postures. They constantly looked around to watch out for hiding titans. Eren didn’t smell or sense any nearby, and that calmed him somewhat. Thanks to his titan biology, he could detect if there was a titan nearby with either his nose or ears. They came in handy quite a bit, but it also made him jumpy whenever he caught a whiff of that titan smell. He would tense up and be paranoid until whatever he sensed was gone.

“Keep your guard up, you four. There could be titans hiding somewhere so don’t let them get the upper hand,” Gunther said, leveling them all with a strict gaze. Eren nodded and turned his head side to side, keeping a lookout for any of the monsters that resided here. Even as he did that, he couldn’t help but think about what happened earlier. The many flares in the sky were alarming for two reasons. One, because that meant that the titan was getting closer, and two, because it also meant that the soldiers in charge of taking care of it couldn’t finish the job.

They were _dead._

Just the thought of that made Eren flinch and he glared at his hands, focusing on the spot just above his thumb. That was where he always bit down in order to transform into a titan whenever he was training with Hanji. It would be so easy to do just that and find whatever titan had caused all of this mess and take care of them. It would literally take only a few seconds for him to bite down and transform and end this game of cat and mouse.

But he couldn’t. He couldn’t transform because he was specifically told not to and he needed to follow those orders. Commander Erwin wouldn’t tell him that for no reason. If he thought that him not using his powers was for the best, then who was Eren to argue? Not only that, but he was way too close to his friends and the other four.

If he took the risk of transforming, they would suffer from the enormous heat being produced and would get burned to death. Eren couldn’t do that to them, especially when he promised to protect them from everything evil in this world. Including himself. What good would he be if he killed the four best soldiers in the Survey Corps and his friends on his first mission?

“Eren!” Isabel called, forcing the brunette to look over at her in alarm at her sudden yell. The look in her green eyes was fearful, both because of the dangerous situation they were in and what he was thinking about. Isabel could read him like an open book and she knew without even trying what he wanted to do. She was scared for him.

Eren bit his bottom lip and looked away, unable to keep staring at Isabel’s worried gaze. The redhead wasn’t the only one feeling helpless, Eren figured out as he turned to look at his other two friends. Furlan and Levi were trying their best to remain cool and composed, but with the sudden vibrations of the ground making themselves known once again, their facades crumbled and their nervous glances towards each other told Eren everything he needed to know.

This was too much to handle. They were still kids, goddamnit! Not even eighteen yet they were out here, prepared to die at this very moment in the middle of a shadowed forest with no way to know how many titans were scattered around. They chose to do this, but wouldn’t it be better if they had more time to prepare? Why didn’t they go through more months of training? At least then they would be in a better mindset for this expedition.

The rumbling grew louder and fiercer and Eren could tell the horses were unnerved. They made whining noises and they snorted occasionally, often losing their rationality to the point where Eren had to yank on the reins to bring his horse back down to Earth. He felt bad, but at the moment, he couldn’t bring himself to apologize to the animal. He too was stressed and they were in a very tight spot.

None of the other soldiers were in the forest with them. As far as Eren knew, they were the only ones in the area and that was very bad. If the abnormal caught up to them, they would need all the help they could get. This titan was strong enough to get through much of the formation without it stopping, which sent off red flags in Eren’s mind. Taking down this titan wasn’t going to be easy, and Eren didn’t even think that them using their gear would be enough.

“That thing’s getting closer! What do we do?!” Furlan asked frantically as the ground shook with the heavy footsteps coming from a few yards behind them. The four veterans took a while to respond, but the tense silence was eventually broken by Eld. “When the time comes, all we can do is face it until our dying breath,” the blonde said through gritted teeth.

“Why can’t we attack it now?! Before that thing gets any closer!” Isabel asked with the same tone of urgency as Furlan. One of her hands had left their position from the reins and was hovering over her hip compartments, just a few inches away from unsheathing one of her blades. She occasionally glanced behind them, just waiting for the titan to show itself.

“We can’t! It’s too risky to do that now!” Eld responded. Eren could practically _feel_ the titan etching closer as they continued to argue. Why couldn’t they let them use their gear? Did they not trust in their abilities? Were they like the others who just saw them as children that didn’t know any better?

“So what? We’re just going to let it get close enough to squash us like bugs?!” Levi demanded impatiently. The raven’s outburst shocked Eren, since he thought the smaller teen would try his best to remain calm throughout this whole mess. The raven’s face was tense and his eyes were wide, the blueness of his orbs showcasing nothing but fear and uncertainty.

Seeing Levi like that made something inside Eren crumble and he bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself from biting another part of his body. His instincts were telling him to _protect, protect, protect Levi!_ He so badly wanted to do just what his instincts were telling him, but there had to be another way. Transforming was not an option unless the others moved far away from him.

“Just be quiet and listen to us, okay?! We’re veterans so you just have to follow what we say! We’re all going to die if you four throw yourselves in blind!” Oluo said, glaring at all of them with sweat pouring down his forehead. Eren glared right back, his titan growling at the threat the older man posed to his friends’ safety. They wouldn’t let them protect themselves and that would cost them dearly. To hell with them being veterans. His friends came first!

Just as he was about to use his 3DMG to launch himself to a tree, the ground shook violently and Eren tensed as he smelled the strong scent of a titan behind them. He turned around just in time to see tree limbs falling to the ground, their heavy weight almost sounding like thunder as they landed. It shook the ground even more and Eren and his friends grappled with their reins to stay upright.

A huge shadow fell over them and Eren could feel his titan just begging to be let out. It sensed a threat and it wanted to get rid of whatever it was. Eren looked up, almost afraid of what he was going to see, and he swore his heart stopped for a millisecond before it resumed pumping, only at a much faster rate than before. His friends gasped and stared wide-eyed at the creature behind them, almost crushing them under its feet.

Eren’s wide, unblinking eyes stared in horror and slight fascination at the monster behind him. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from the titan running their way. “What the hell…?” Levi whispered as he too stared at the creature with wide eyes. Eren could barely hear him from the rumbling and hooves trampling against the earth.

The only thing he could think was, _‘Oh shit.’_

Because now, they were dealing with something serious. This titan wasn’t just an abnormal, it was something else. Something much more dangerous and powerful than Eren had ever encountered. And he had a feeling that this titan was going to show how strong it was in a matter of seconds.

Oh shit, indeed.


	19. Nine: Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi, for the first time in his life, didn’t know what to do. He was in a titan-infested forest with some type of abnormal chasing him. He and his friends were going to die here, in a place where no one would find their dismembered bodies. For the first time in years, there was nothing he could do. For the first time in years, he found himself truly afraid.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone!
> 
> I hope you all had a happy New Year (yes, I know I’m so late to the party) and I’m here to grace you all with another chapter. It’s probably going to be boring and maybe a bit short, but I promise you that the next update will be amazing.
> 
> I’m sorry it’s been a long time since I’ve updated, but there are so many things going on that it’s kind of overwhelming. These updates are getting harder and harder to write because I want to make them as good as possible, which can stress me out.
> 
> But I’m still updating so dont worry about that. I’m just not updating as regularly as I used to and that kinda sucks :(
> 
> Anyways! Here’s the next update! I don’t know when I’ll post again so enjoy this for a while! Thanks for reading and I’ll see you next time! Sorry if this seems a bit rushed!
> 
> This will be in Levi’s POV.

“What kind of a titan is that?” Isabel asked fearfully. She had not looked away from the abnormal creature catching up to them. It was like her eyes were glued to the humongous titan rumbling the earth. Levi was no better as he too couldn’t look away from the strange titan. His wide blue eyes were frightened yet curious as he witnessed the titan ripping tree limbs with its hands and leaving a path of destruction in its wake.

He had tried to stay calm for his friends’ sake, but with all of this going on and so much stress building up, there was no possible way he could keep track of his rationality. It was gone at this point and Levi hated it. He was always the calmest one out of his group of friends and they relied on him whenever they were in a state of panic. They couldn’t do that this time, unfortunately. He was just as scared as they were and he would be no help for them in this situation.

Even Petra and the other veterans were scared to death of this abnormal. That was a huge concern for him because if they were scared, then that meant this situation was extremely bad. They had to come up with some sort of plan if they wanted to make it back inside the walls in one piece. Levi had no desire to lose any of his limbs at the moment. He liked his body the way it was and there was no need for “enhancements.”

The abnormal titan inched closer with the help of its long and powerful legs, and it allowed Levi to see more clearly what they were dealing with. This titan was certainly a first for him. First of all, its build was unlike any other titan he had seen before, with the exception of Eren. It was well proportioned, with lean but evenly muscled arms and legs and a defined six-pack. There were bits of skin attached to it, but it was mostly tendons being shown from what Levi could see.

It was also a female, which wasn’t as strange as his first observation was, but still odd. When it looked at them, Levi could see a pair of clear blue eyes staring back at him through a curtain of blonde hair. The look in its eyes confused Levi more than anything and he tilted his head a bit to get a better look. This titan didn’t have the same blank gaze as the rest of them. Its eyes reminded him of Eren’s own titan. They held knowledge of some kind, so unlike the usual stoic or grinning faces of most titans whenever they caught sight of humans.

There was no apparent hunger visible on its features either. It noticed them, obviously, but it didn’t reach out to grab them so that it could eat them. Its blue eyes shifted from him to his friends, seemingly looking for someone. It was like this titan was looking for one person in particular, though Levi didn’t know the reason why. He actually didn’t have the desire to know since he most likely wouldn’t approve of it.

When its beady eyes landed on Eren though, that was when Levi’s blood ran cold and he tensed. He gripped the reins tighter in his palms and anxiously looked at the brunette. Eren wasn’t paying attention to the titan behind them, too busy with steering his horse in the right direction, so he didn’t know that the titan was looking directly at him. Levi panicked as he looked back and forth between the abnormal titan and his friend. Why was it looking at Eren like that? What did this titan need his friend for?

A resemblance of a smirk was forming on the titan’s face and Levi felt his entire body shudder at the sight. He didn’t even know titans _could_ smirk like that. Not even Eren could pull that off with his beast, but it was mostly because his titan didn’t have lips. With this titan, the image was even more creepy than he imagined and all Levi wanted to do was get Eren far away from this titan. It was not safe for the brunette here and he needed to be in a safer area. Maybe if he was quick enough, he could grab Eren and hide them both somewhere in the forest until it was safe again.

“We can’t just keep on running away like this! That thing is practically on top of us!” Isabel said as she pushed her horse to get further away from the titan threatening to crush her. No one replied to her comment, too focused on getting away from the giant titan behind them to think of a response. “Can’t we use our gear now?! What do we have to lose?!” Furlan asked, his tone so frantic that Levi worried his friend was going to suffer from a heart attack. The blonde looked about ready to pass out in a matter of seconds, which Levi certainly didn’t want.

It was surprising that they hadn’t run into any other titans so far. Levi would’ve thought that will all of this commotion, more titans would’ve found their way here to see what was going on. The smell of human would certainly attract their attention sooner or later, though Levi frowned at the realization that he had a particular smell that was enticing to those monsters. Just by being alive, he was already a fish on a hook for these bastards to latch onto.

Levi wouldn’t complain though. The less titans they had to face, the better. It would make getting out of this forest alive much easier. Though he guessed that this abnormal wasn’t going to just let them leave without a fight. It came to them, specifically Eren, for a reason and it wasn’t going to leave them alone until it got what it wanted from them. That thing wanted Eren for something and it wasn’t good, that much Levi was certain of. _‘Like hell I’m going to let that thing take him away!’_ Levi thought venomously as he glared at the titan behind him, his fear disappearing at the prospect of having Eren ripped away from him again.

He had already gone through that twice before and he really didn’t want to experience that pain again. Eren was not leaving his side no matter what! They were family and maybe something more, but Levi just couldn’t have Eren taken away from him. The pain and loneliness was just too much to handle, even with Isabel and Furlan by his side to lessen the blow. They weren’t the same and as much as he loved them, there was something about Eren that made him the most important person in Levi’s world.

The brunette had a special place in his heart and that warm feeling wouldn’t go away whenever he thought of him. Just envisioning his face made Levi a total mess, as ashamed he was to admit it. No one had ever had so much control over him, except his mother, and it was scary to know that Eren held his heart in his hands. He trusted Eren completely, but giving yourself over to someone willingly was not to be taken lightly. He and Eren just shared this strong connection that nobody could break.

And now that this titan was trying to come in between them? That didn’t sit right with him _at all._ Eren was his, damn it! No one could have the brunette just to try and harm him. As long as Levi was around, he would make sure that Eren was as safe as humanly possible. He didn’t want a single scratch to be imbedded in Eren’s skin. That would drive him absolutely crazy with rage. Furlan and Isabel were the same as well. They all were very protective of Eren and if the brunette suffered, then they would all go in a frenzy to get rid of who or whatever made such a sinful move against their family.

“Are any of you going to answer or what?! We don’t have all day!” he finally snapped, losing every bit of patience that he had. What good were they if they simply stayed quiet when they needed their advice the most? Sure they were good, but Levi didn’t think that excluded them from helping them out. They were still new recruits and they needed their guidance to get through this mission without losing their lives.

“We heard you! Just hold on a little longer, okay?” Gunther responded, never once looking back at them. Levi growled and glared at the back of the man’s head, almost burning a hole through his skull. What the hell did they think they were talking about?! Wait a little longer? They might not even have that much time left if they didn’t do something _now._ Didn’t they understand the severity of the situation they were all in? Maybe all those previous missions messed up their brains to the point of no return.

“Are you kidding me?! Don’t you understand that we’ll die if we just keep on running?!What if we lead it to the others?!” Furlan demanded, growing impatient as well. The blonde’s hands were white as chalk from how tight he was holding the reins of his horse. Again, the four veterans didn’t bother to give them any further explanation as to what they meant. It was really starting to irritate Levi and he felt his nails dig into the skin of his palms, threatening to break the skin.

As much as he liked them, that didn’t mean he was going to stand back and listen to their crap. They weren’t helping them at all and they were putting all of them in danger. How could they say to keep on riding when they had a _fucking titan right on top of them?_ They were going to get crushed by that titan’s giant feet and their innards were going to be splattered all over the forest floor. Who knows if their bodies would be left here for the others to find. Maybe some wandering titans would come over and eat whatever was left of them.

A shudder traveled through Levi’s body as he imagined himself getting devoured. He didn’t want to go out that way. He wanted to grow old and explore the world that was hidden from him for so many years. He wanted to have hundreds of good memories of the life he had lived and finally pass on, going about his way in the afterlife, if there was such a thing. He had no desire to be taken away so soon from this world. As much as he hated the position he was forced into, this world gave him so many things that made it bearable.

This world gave him a loving mother that always put him above everything else and a caring adoptive mother and father, the latter of which he never had before. This world gave him Isabel and Furlan, the first two people besides his mother that truly cared about him and considered him family. And this world gifted him with Eren, a boy that had so much spirit and determination that it almost seemed too much. By giving him Eren, he had another chance to live happily again. It gave Levi hope that maybe he could turn his negatives into positives. He may have lost his mother, but what he got out of that was Eren’s constant companionship.

The brunette meant everything to him and to have him taken away was like a punch to the gut. Why was this world so cruel? Why did it give him people that meant so much to him only to be taken away again? Was this some sort of game? He had already lost Eren twice, and he had a sick feeling that the next time, he wouldn’t get Eren back. The past occurrences were really just luck, but like all things, it eventually ran out.

He couldn’t take just sitting here anymore! He was strong, more so than any other soldiers in any of the three branches, so why wasn’t he doing anything? He might as well stop and let that thing kill him now. _‘I’m done waiting! If those four don’t want to do anything, then I’ll protect Eren myself!’_ he decided, shifting his eyes towards Eren’s trembling form beside Furlan. The brunette looked torn, no doubt thinking about how he could help out in this situation. Levi knew that staying still wasn’t Eren’s forte, but the titan-shifter still obeyed orders.

 _‘That titan is way too close to attack it, but maybe if I catch its attention and lure it away, Isabel or Furlan can go for its nape. That’ll at least buy Eren some time to get out of here,’_ he thought, calculating his surroundings to see where he could fly off to so that he wouldn’t immediately get killed. No matter where he looked, everything was the same. There were huge trees everywhere and unless he timed his actions right, he wouldn’t even come close to the titan’s upper body. Those legs looked strong and one kick could take him out no problem.

 _‘But...for Eren…’_ he thought, letting his eyes settle on the panicking brunette. With that final look, Levi pushed every doubt in his mind away, only focusing on what he could do to help his friends escape. He was strong, he could do this. He was an Ackerman, a clan that produced great warriors. No Ackerman ran away when faced with danger and he was no different. This titan wouldn’t take his family away from him.

He wouldn’t let this titan win. Whether the others liked it or not, this titan was going down, no questions asked. Filled with renewed determination, Levi let one of his hands settle on the handle of his blades while the other steered his horse. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Isabel and Furlan watching him. He turned his head and gave them a firm nod, knowing the unspoken question that hung in between them.

They froze for a second, but soon they too nodded and settled themselves for their respective roles. Levi silently prayed that his friends would be able to take this titan down. Their skills were legendary, but this titan was something they hadn’t prepared for. But they didn’t care. This titan dared to threaten their family and that required severe punishment.

They must have been too suspicious in their preparation to take down the titan because at that moment, Eld turned around and looked at all three of them with a strict glare. “What do you think you’re doing?! Don’t even dare to attempt what I think you are!” he ordered. Levi couldn’t bring himself to care what he or the others had to say at this point.

Eren wasn’t going to be taken away just because these soldiers didn’t want to do their jobs. Their experience meant nothing if they weren’t willing to use it when in danger. It was one of the things Levi despised about the veteran soldiers. They thought that just because they had years of experience, that meant they could just sit back and let rookies like them do all the work. He may like these four, but if this is what they did on a regular basis, then he didn’t want to be a part of it.

“I don’t care what you say. If you won’t do something about this, then I will,” he said, drawing forth one of his blades, the sound of metal scraping together with steel music to his ears. His blood was pumping erratically in his veins, making his body fill with adrenaline. The prospect of dealing with this abnormal titan was somewhat frightening, but something even more frightening in his opinion was having Eren taken away from them.

“How many times do we have to tell you to stay put?! You’ll die if you go after that titan now!” Eld yelled over the noise of thumping hooves and rumbling footsteps. Levi ignored the older man’s warning, his mind solely focused on finding a way to get Eren and his friends out of here safely. The other four could do whatever they wished.

“We’ll _all_ die if one of us doesn’t do something! This is a risk we’re willing to take. Eren may not be allowed to fight, but we are,” Isabel spoke, her voice nothing but strict and determined. She glared at Eld, daring him to say something, but the other simply swallowed. His mouth opened and closed repeatedly, seemingly at a loss for words.

“Wait, what’s going on?! Levi, what are you planning to do?!” Eren asked, finally placing himself in the conversation. It was the first time the titan-shifter had spoken, and he sounded worried, anxious, and terrified all at once. Levi fixed him with a blank look, but his eyes were apologetic with what he was going to put Eren through.

“The only thing I can do to make sure you get out of here safely,” he responded. He wouldn’t regret doing this since it would allow for Eren to reach some type of safety, but the knowledge that he may not come back from this unsettled him. Eren would be mortified if he ended up killing himself because of this stunt, but just like the brunette was willing to sacrifice himself to protect them, he would do the same.

Eren seemed to have understood the meaning behind his words judging by how shaken up he looked. The brunette’s eyes had glazed over and he shook his head rapidly. “No! You can’t do something this risky! You’ll put yourself in even more danger!” he said, attempting to talk him out of his hazardous plan.

“This is my choice, Eren. Every choice we make involves risks, but at least this one will save all of you,” he said calmly, refusing to let his eyes stray from Eren’s face. If this really was his last moment with his friends, then he wanted to look at them for as long as humanly possible. Once he died, every memory he had of them would disappear and he’d just be a corpse.

“How can you say that so casually?!” Eren shouted, sweat dripping down his face like water. Levi, though he felt bad for the pain he was putting Eren through, couldn’t find it in himself to take back his decision. This expedition was supposed to be the first of a new era of them battling the titans. Eren was humanity’s only hope of even standing a chance against them and if he were to be killed right now, then everything they’d been through would be nothing but a waste of their time.

From the moment he joined the Survey Corps, Levi knew that the chance of him surviving was slim. He may be one of the strongest soldiers in the branch, but even he had limitations to what he could do and those titans were strong. One of these days, one would get the drop on him and he’d be dead, just like everyone else who had battled against them. He was accepting of that to a degree because there was nothing he could do to change that. He was only human with no special powers or abilities like Eren, and that placed him and the rest of humanity at a disadvantage.

Just like Eren kept on fighting so that humanity wouldn’t be devoured, Levi was willing to risk himself so that they _could_ keep on fighting for many years to come. At least with Eren still alive, humanity wouldn’t lose all hope of traveling outside the walls and living a peaceful life. Sure, the brunette would most likely be heartbroken that he’d be gone, but at least he did something for this world. He would make this world a better place for everyone and that was all that Levi wanted. Whether he lived or died, as long as humanity got to live in a world with some type of peace, then that’d be just fine with him.

“Eren, you need to survive this expedition at any cost. If I have to die so that you can fight for humanity, then so be it. That’s certainly better than all of us dying today,” he reasoned to the panicking brunette. His words did nothing to calm Eren down, only increasing his anxiousness and fear. However, he didn’t say anything else after, choosing instead to stay quiet. His jaw was set tight and Levi could see the muscle jumping slightly in agitation.

“You are not doing something as crazy as that!” Eren ordered, putting as much authority into his tone. Levi had no reaction, his eyes staring into Eren’s own without fear. He really wasn’t one to follow orders from anybody, preferring to do things the way he saw fit. There was nothing his friend could do to deter him. He may be upset now, but it would all be worth it if the titans were exterminated for good.

“Isabel, Furlan? You both know what to do,” he told his two other family members, completely ignoring Eren’s desperate pleas for him to reconsider. The redhead and blonde nodded once, though they too looked anxious and skeptical about his risky plan. To be honest, Levi didn’t fully trust himself either. This was not going to end well for him, but losing one person was better than having eight corpses crushed and bloodied.

Levi pulled himself up so that he was hovering over his horse’s saddle, his legs the only stabilization that his body had. He held onto the reins for as long as he could until he couldn’t wait any longer and then tightly grasped the handles of his blades. The weight in his hands was familiar to him and he reveled in the strength that he possessed with his weapons beside him.

This wasn’t just about Eren, as ashamed he was to admit it. Part of him wanted to do this because of his pride. Doing something as dangerous and risky as this would prove that he wasn’t the same frightened little boy from over five years ago. He wasn’t weak and he sure as hell didn’t run away from a fight. He was Levi Ackerman and his bloodline wouldn’t dare to allow him to fail at a time like this. Each of his ancestors, including his mother, had done their namesake proud while they were alive and he would not bring shame to their legacy.

He needed to show everyone here that he could do things such as this when the time called for it. He wasn’t afraid of killing if it meant that innocent lives would be spared. That fear had washed away when he saw his mother get butchered in front of him and Eren saved him, resulting in the brunette also having to get his hands dirty. After that, the only thing he had feared was losing the family he had gained.

So, with pride and determination on the forefront of his mind, Levi braced himself to attack. His fingers squeezed the handles of his blades, blocking every other noise except for the titan’s footsteps out. The rumbling of the earth served as a reminder of what he was fighting for. Taking out this titan would mean there’d be one less monster in this world to deal with. He tried to focus all of his power in his legs, preparing to push himself up and away from his horse.

He was mere seconds away from firing his cables into the nearest tree when he felt a solid force against his side. The sudden movement jerked him to the side and he felt himself falling from his horse as he flailed his arms around, his blades still firmly grasped in the palms of his hands. His horse neighed and wiggled, trying to put as much distance between it and whatever it had beside it.

A slightly warm and large hand wrapped itself around his middle and Levi was quickly pulled back down on his horse’s saddle. He jerked in the person’s hold for a moment, trying to disentangle himself from whoever forced him down, but the arm tightened and he winced in slight pain. His eyes traveled up from the hand embracing him towards the owner’s forearm until he came face to face with Eren’s glaring green eyes.

The other teen’s mouth was set in an angry snarl, his lip pulled up to reveal slightly pointed teeth. The arm that wasn’t busy holding onto him was steering his horse, his knuckles turning pale with how tightly he gripped them. Right now, Eren looked very much like a wild animal that was having its prize taken away.

“You’re not going anywhere,” Eren ground out through his teeth, his tone leaving no room for discussion. Hell, Levi was sure that if he objected to Eren’s statement, the brunette would literally tie him down to his horse so that he wouldn’t escape. Levi, not taking too kindly to his friend’s interference, glared right back, his blue eyes narrowed in defiance.

“Let me go,” he ordered, feeling the titan’s footsteps right behind him. He pushed on Eren’s arm, trying to dislodge it, but his friend wouldn’t budge. When he touched Eren’s arm, he could feel the muscle beneath the skin wound up tight. That just showed how much strength Eren was using in order to keep him in place. Just because he was small, that didn’t mean he was a lightweight.

“The only way you’re getting me to let go is if you cut off every limb on my body,” Eren fired back, unfazed by his growing impatience. Levi sneered, making itself known how much he disapproved of Eren’s interference. Why couldn’t Eren just butt out for once? Was it really necessary for him to involve himself in every situation?

“Eren! You have to let go of him now! Our chance of killing that titan is getting smaller!” Furlan demanded, edging himself closer to them. Behind the blonde, Isabel had one of her blades drawn by her side, occasionally looking behind her at the titan that was still creating a path of distraction. The forest floor was filled with trampled trees and there were large indents left behind.

“Shut up! I don’t care about that titan! Whatever happens, I’m _not_ letting Levi get himself killed by that thing!” Eren snapped, turning his head to glare at Furlan. The blonde gulped, but then an aggravated look crossed his face as he maintained eye contact with the brunette. “He’s _going_ to be killed if you don’t let us do our job!” he pressed, bumping his horse against Eren’s own. The two teens pushed against each other, their noses almost touching. Their dominant attitude was beginning to show.

Yet, through it all, Eren’s arm didn’t lessen its grip around Levi’s middle. The raven still tried to free himself, but he now mostly focused on keeping his horse in check by pulling on the reins. The animal was being pushed back and forth, resulting in him losing his balance on the saddle. He heard Isabel’s panicked voice yelling at Furlan and Eren to stop bickering, but the two boys ignored her.

“Hey! Enough, all of you! No one is going after that titan, you understand?!” Gunther roared, his wide eyes focusing on all four of them. This was the first time Levi had seen the older man lose his cool like that, but with the combined tension of all eight of them and the stress of having a titan literally on top of them, Levi supposed it was understandable. No one in their right mind would be able to stay calm in a situation like this, especially with four teens bickering in the midst of it all.

“And why not?! Are you gonna do something about it?!” Isabel interjected. It took a while for Gunther to answer, but after a few seconds, Oluo spoke for his veteran comrade. It was the first time he had spoken since that titan first appeared. “No. We’re not gonna do anything,” he said rather calmly. Isabel made a sound of barely suppressed rage and was just about to reprimand the older soldier, but before she could, he spoke up again.

“Because _they’ll_ do the work for us,” he finished, tossing a somewhat smug smirk behind them. Levi furrowed his brows, confused about who “they” were, but in the midst of all the chaos, he suddenly heard a noise that he was very familiar with. It was the sound of the maneuvering gear fast approaching, the distinct noise of cables shooting out and latching onto trees unmistakeable.

Taking a chance to look behind him, Levi swept his eyes in every corner of the forest, trying to ignore the titan looking directly at him. At first he didn’t see anything, the trees offering a vast amount of shade so that one could stay hidden. But after a few tries, his keen eyes caught the swift movement of a body approaching them, keeping its distance from the titan so that it wouldn’t notice.

Once one appeared, more followed, totaling in five soldiers targeting the giant beast. They all didn’t spare Levi or the others a glance, never allowing their eyes to stray from their dangerous target. At the sight of backup, Levi let himself lose a bit of tension, but he still kept a firm grip on Eren’s arm, the brunette and Furlan having stopped their argument to stare in wonderment as help came their way.

As much as Levi wanted to be the one to end the titan, he would let the others deal with it.

After all, that just meant he had some more time to spare.


	20. Nine: Part Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This titan was so much more than what he had experienced, but why wasn’t anything happening? Why did no one try to stop it from killing them? Was that the plan all along? Was the plan for them to die in this forest for nothing?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my lovely readers!
> 
> I’ve been gone for quite a while, so sorry again! I’ve apologized so much for the long wait in between chapters, but I know more will keep coming. The only thing I can promise is that this story will not be abandoned and I will continue writing it until the series ends (I’m so not ready for that).
> 
> I know I may be dragging this chapter for too long, but it was honestly so hard to write that I decided to stop here. My brain hurts and I have another story I’m working on, so that also makes things harder.
> 
> I hope you still enjoy this chapter since they take a while to jot down. If you do, leave kudos and/or comments on how I did! I’ll leave you alone now! Enjoy!
> 
> P.S.: If any of you love “The Nightmare Before Christmas” as well as Ereri, then please look at my other story titled the same as the movie! It’s a new project I’m working on and I hope many people like it. Just wanted to throw that out there in case there were some people that wanted to read it!
> 
> This update will be in Eren’s POV.

Eren had never felt more grateful towards the soldiers than at this moment, the familiar hiss of the 3DMG through the air a comfort that he never thought he would experience. He pushed himself away from Furlan, the blonde doing the same, and he caught the smirk that Oluo had plastered on his face. The older man looked almost cocky, as if _he_ was the one that was flying through the air, ready to battle against the abnormal titan behind them.

For some reason, that look didn’t sit well with him. As much as he viewed the four veterans as close companions, he couldn’t shake off the realization that they were the same people that almost got his friends killed. They didn’t have a backup plan against that titan and that led to Levi almost putting his life on the line for them. What kind of soldiers were they? They were willing to put his friend’s life at stake as long as it meant they could get out of this mess. Eren understood that sometimes sacrifices needed to be made for the greater good, but his friends were _not_ going to be used as scapegoats.

The thought of Levi going against that titan and getting himself killed put him in a sour mood and he gripped the smaller teen tighter against his body. He ignored Levi’s slight gasp of pain, taking comfort in the fact that he could feel the raven’s warmth and heart beneath his fingertips. He could feel his titan beneath the surface, knocking against its cage as it fought to escape. It needed to protect Levi, its supposed mate, from that titan as well as the four veteran soldiers. It viewed them as a threat and Eren did as well, which was why he didn’t let Levi go.

The raven was only safe when he was by his side. Eren could protect him from anything evil in this world, as irrational and childish as that sounded. Levi meant everything to him and he wasn’t going to let those soldiers tear them apart. He remembered the look on Levi’s face when he said that he was going to sacrifice himself so that they could escape the forest. As much as Levi tried to put up a front, Eren could easily see the uneasiness and fear that clouded his friend’s mind. His friend didn’t want to die, but because there weren’t anymore options, he had sucked it up and put himself in the line of fire.

“Eren, let me go! We’re gonna trample over each other,” he heard Levi gasp as he tried to escape from his tight hold. The raven was pretty strong, his hands almost succeeding in pulling them apart, but with a boost of his titan strength, he gripped Levi tighter and pushed their bodies together. He absolutely refused to let Levi go at a time like this. He needed to have him in his arms, his titan demanded it. The beast was going crazy inside of him, thrashing and growling, and Eren could feel his emotions getting the best of him.

He felt extremely possessive of Levi at this point, not wanting him to be taken away for even a second. He had to be absolutely sure that his friend was really okay before he even considered giving him any space to roam free. At that moment, Levi finally looked up at him, his blue eyes desperate and anxious as he continued to struggle, but his strength was beginning to melt away. Eren couldn’t contain the growl that escaped him this time, the noise sounding rough and animalistic even to his own ears.

Looking at Levi’s perfect face, Eren couldn’t help but think about their memories together. The way in which they met, two little boys too shy to talk to one another but later being brought together because of a horrible event. Eren wished he had gotten closer to Levi under better circumstances, where he didn’t have to lose his mother so soon, but he was happy that he could call Levi a close friend.

Their happy times together with Furlan and Isabel were perfect, the four of them simply enjoying their childhood for as long as they could. Their personal struggles, from the titan attack five years ago until now, made them so much stronger and they had formed an unbreakable bond that was stronger than life itself. Eren felt a pull towards Levi, like his heart was beating only for the raven. If he died, then Eren was almost 100% certain that he would soon follow. There was just no possible way he could live on without the raven by his side. Just the thought of it made his heart clench in despair.

He promised his mother that he would watch out for Levi and keep him safe. What kind of a friend would he be to allow Levi to die when it could be avoided? Eren wasn’t going to go back on his word, not when the person was someone he loved and cherished so much. Levi was the only innocent part of his life. He had a monster inside of him, but having Levi by his side made the inner struggle more bearable. No matter how much bloodshed Levi had seen in his short years of life, Eren knew that there was a small part inside of his friend that was still untainted by this cruel world.

He was going to protect that part of Levi, as well as everything else. The raven was worth every struggle that Eren had to go through and so much more. Nothing was more important than the life of his supposed mate, that last thought making his titan purr in satisfaction. As much as Eren didn’t want to admit to himself his feelings for Levi, his titan was making that feat nearly impossible. He knew what the raven meant to him, but he just didn’t want to admit it out loud yet.

“Now you four can focus on the real task at hand here. We need to get out of this forest and alert Commander Erwin about this new development,” Eld said, obviously directing it towards Eren and his friends. Eren didn’t really appreciate the little jab, but he forced himself to keep his mouth shut on the matter for now. He didn’t want to start up another argument while they were in the middle of a situation. If they survived this, he would damn sure have a very serious discussion with the four veterans about their lack of planning.

“Eren! Come on, let go of me already. You’re gonna make us crash,” Levi’s frantic voice said beside him. Eren pulled himself out of his thoughts on what he was going to tell the other four, registering his friend’s words and desperate attempts to get himself away. The reason for that was because, right in the middle of their path, there was a tree situated, its tall and bulky form almost rivaling the titan chasing them.

True to Levi’s word, they were going to run straight into it if Eren didn’t move them quick enough. So, despite his titan’s growls and protests, he let Levi go, which allowed the raven to steer his horse in Eren’s opposite direction. The sight of the raven away from him made his inner beast almost whine, but Eren forced it to focus on their current predicament. He couldn’t pay attention to his titan’s desires right now, especially with his emotions all over the place. He didn’t want a repeat of what happened on his last mission.

Trying to steer his focus away from Levi, Eren instead chose to pay attention to the soldiers behind him. They were all very skilled, Eren had to admit, but he could tell that their formation wasn’t very solid to begin with. There were gaps and breaks in between them, which could spell disaster if that titan somehow got in the middle of them. It was able to defeat and go through all of the other legion members in order to get to this point, so that meant it had to know something about how they worked.

The titan finally seemed to realize that it was being chased since it used one of its hands to cover its nape. _‘A defensive tactic,’_ Eren thought as he watched some of the soldiers attempt to take down the titan. He recognized that move like his own body, seeing as he did the same thing during training sometimes when he felt someone at his back. He didn’t do it purposefully though, as strange as that was. Half the time, he didn’t even realize that he did it. It was like an instinctual thing involving his titan’s self-protective instincts. Even when he knew it was his friends, he could barely contain himself from trying to cover his weak spot.

How did this titan know about its nape being its main weakness? None of the other titans he had encountered displayed that type of behavior, which further proved Eren’s theory of this titan being intelligent. It behaved almost the same as his own beast, which actually scared him. If his beast was on par with this one, then did that mean there was someone else like him in the world? Was he living with someone that could transform into a titan, or did this one live outside the walls like the others?

Eren’s titan growled in its cage, the brunette understanding it as a way of saying, _‘Doesn’t matter. It’s still a threat.’_ He really couldn’t argue with that logic at this point. He himself didn’t quite care who this titan was, only wanting to get rid of it so that his friends would be safe. That was the only thing that mattered to him, but he couldn’t do anything to protect them since he had strict orders to stay hidden. Would Commander Erwin really hold it against him when he understood what was at stake? Could the older blonde see his reasoning for going against his orders?

“Eren! Pay attention, will you?! You’re gonna crash!” Isabel cried out from behind him, abruptly making Eren focus again. Again, another tree was in his path and he hurriedly steered his horse away from it, just barely ducking underneath a tree branch that would have smacked him in the face. “Geez...you’re a hopeless piece of work,” he heard Isabel mutter. It was so quiet that if Eren didn’t have his keen hearing, he wouldn’t have heard it. His cousin obviously didn’t want him to hear her little insult.

Unfortunately for her, he heard it clear as day and he turned to give her an annoyed glare. The redhead gave him one back, not one to back down from a challenge. They were both incredibly stubborn, something that Eren’s mother and their friends chastised them for on a regular basis. But, seeing as this was clearly not the right time to indulge in some squabbling back and forth, Eren abandoned their glaring contest to gaze at the titan behind them. It was the first time he had voluntarily stepped away from a confrontation, verbal or physical.

The soldiers were still circling around it, some trying to block its path while others stayed behind its back. They would try to slice its ankles, but the titan always managed to shoo them away with a quick lift of its foot, forcing the soldiers to retreat so that they wouldn’t get squashed like insects. Its nape was still protected, the titan refusing to remove its hand even when it was being attacked. There were a few scrapes across its forearms and torso, but nothing that would bring it down.

Its eyes never strayed far from him, unnerving Eren even as he stared back. Those blue eyes were calculting, almost as if the titan was trying to communicate with him. What it wanted him to know, Eren had no idea, but it wasn’t anything he was going to like. Its mouth was slightly tilted upwards, revealing a row of white teeth set in a sinister smile. It was like it knew something that he didn’t, almost mocking him in his helpless state. Was this how other soldiers felt like whenever they went through expeditions like this? Were they forced to see this exact same face as they were seconds away from death? Was this the last thing they saw before they perished?

Eren didn’t want to admit it, but this titan _terrified_ him like he never thought possible. It was like his soul left his body, leaving only an empty shell of his former self. He couldn’t stop staring at the titan, as afraid as he was of it. He knew that the titan could sense his fear, which showed when its eyes widened and its mouth opened, steam pouring out of the dark abyss like a cloud. Eren’s titan followed the other’s example, its lipless mouth stretching wide open. The invisible cage it was locked inside rattled as it continued to try and break free, but Eren couldn’t let it out. He had a duty to uphold and he wouldn’t let his emotions control him. He had promised himself that he was going to follow through with the orders he was given, even if he didn’t like them.

The sound of blades slicing up flesh was a familiar one, and while it made him happy to hear it, he also hated it just as much. Why was this titan so difficult to take down? Why weren’t their blades penetrating deep enough to hit something vital? The soldiers were trying everything they could, but their best just wasn’t good enough. What was up with this titan’s skin? Was it tougher than the average titan’s? Was that why it could sustain the damage the soldiers were giving it? And how could this titan heal its wounds so quickly?

As soon as it was dealt with a blow from the soldiers’ blades, steam would arise from its wounds and stitch the broken skin back together. Not even Eren could achieve that quick of a healing process. It would take him at least a minute to try and seal his wounds whenever training got to be too much for his titan body to handle. This titan, however, could completely heal itself in less than thirty seconds, a record that left Eren speechless. This titan was truly one of a kind in every way. The brunette got the feeling that if Hanji was with them, she would go absolutely bonkers and try everything in her power to capture this titan and experiment with it.

Eren wasn’t too sure if that was such a good idea. While he understood Hanji’s fascination with the beasts, since he shared some of them as well, he wasn’t too keen on the older woman having this particular one so close to them. This one was skilled and if it managed to escape, then that could spell serious trouble for everyone. Not only would they have a rampaging titan inside the walls, they would lose tons of innocent people and sustain enormous amounts of damage to the districts. That would all be on the Survey Corps’ hands and Eren didn’t want the government to distrust them even more than they already did. Having him, a titan-shifter, in their ranks was bad enough in their eyes.

The trees were starting to become a bit more spread out as they continued to ride through the forest, which meant that they were getting closer to the other side and escaping this place. With that being said, this titan needed to be taken out _right now._ If it was still standing once they got into open ground, then the soldiers behind them wouldn’t be able to do anything to stop it. They’d be left on their own and they couldn’t use their gear either. They needed leverage and there was none of that out there. They’d be done for.

As much as Eren wanted to leave this forest because of the threat it possessed, they really didn’t have a choice in the matter. They couldn’t do anything _but_ stay in this titan-infested forest until the abnormal was dealt with. Why weren’t reinforcements coming? Shouldn’t they have come to check on them since the flares were shot? Eren really didn’t pay that much attention during the meetings, but he recalled one thing that their instructor said: Whenever a breach in the formation occurred, a recovery team would _always_ be on deck to scope out the area and look for any injured soldiers.

None had arrived so far, which could mean a whole bunch of things. Maybe the titan had taken care of them before it caught them, or maybe the soldiers were eaten by some other wandering titans. It wasn’t uncommon to have soldiers die without anyone else noticing. Not everyone had an audience or dramatic death, after all. Sometimes the titans ate everything, leaving nothing but torn cloth and splatters of blood behind. Even now, as they rapidly traveled through the forest, Eren could still make out a few splotches of dried blood on the tree barks and grass.

It made him nauseous just looking at it, so he turned away from the dried blood and focused on the soldiers battling the titan behind him. He could see Isabel’s face in the corner of his eye, but he couldn’t bring himself to look at her. He didn’t like the fact that he was forced away from the rear while his friends stayed behind, but this titan had some sort of agenda and he needed to be kept away from it. Eren could respect that, but not when his friends were put in a situation as dangerous as this.

If one of them died today, he would never forgive himself. He was supposed to keep them safe, the promise he made to his mother ringing clear in his ears. _‘Protect each other,’_ her voice called out the day his world fell apart. Even when she was about to die, she wanted them to keep an eye on each other and stick together. He couldn’t let his mother down, especially when he had another promise to keep in the back of his mind.

He risked glancing at Levi, the raven keeping his eyes on the path in front of him as he steered his horse to follow the other four veteran soldiers. The red scarf around his neck flowed in the wind, the strings tangling together, which would no doubt be a hassle to unravel later. To most, it was just some piece of fabric, nothing really meaningful or useful except to keep someone warm. But to Eren, that scarf meant absolutely _everything._

He gave that scarf to Levi when he was at his weakest, to show that he indeed care about him. It was to show that, no matter where they were or how far apart they may be, they would always be connected to each other because of that scarf. It was a part of Eren, but it belonged to Levi now. He didn’t care if he never got it back, only that Levi had it with him forever. It had both of their scents mixed into the fabric, and it pleased Eren’s titan to see Levi wearing it almost constantly. It saw it as a possessive gesture, a warning to any other future rivals that Levi already had someone to love and care for him. Someone that would protect him and keep him safe until the day they died.

Eren, as wrong as it was to think, shared that same enjoyment just as much. It thrilled him to know that Levi was carrying something of him, his scent encasing the raven in a protective blanket against anybody that wanted him for their own. He felt a twinge of shame once he realized that he basically viewed Levi as his property, but his titan brought forth those new feelings and he couldn’t just push them aside. They were a part of him now and he was starting to get used to those new emotions.

Not only did he promise his own mother that he would watch over Levi and the rest of his makeshift family, but he still kept his promise to Levi’s as well. He hadn’t forgotten about the words he said to her when he found her butchered to death, and he carried that promise in his heart every day. She loved and cared so much about Levi, the two of them sharing an unbreakable bond that no one else could understand. She deserved to have someone take her place in watching over her son now that she wasn’t here to do it herself, and Eren was more than happy to take over that position.

Every time he looked at the raven, he was reminded of Levi’s mother. They looked almost identical, save for a few features that Eren assumed were from Levi’s absent father. Every time he looked into those blue eyes, Eren would be reminded of Kuchel’s smile and gentle words. Even when he met her for the first time, she was nothing but kind to him and treated him just as well as she did Levi. She really did care about him.

How could he go against his word to keep her son safe? How could he ever stand to tolerate himself if he let Levi get hurt when he promised her that he would be there whenever the raven needed him? They were a team, whether the entirety of humanity trusted them or not. Eren could deal with the people hating his guts for being a monster, but as long as he had Levi, Furlan, and Isabel, he’d be alright. He only needed them to feel complete, and if he had to battle the titans all on his own, then so be it.

He never told Levi this, but the last promise he made that day was to himself. He vowed to never let Levi out of his sight, just so that he could make sure the raven was really okay. He never really put himself first, his morality choosing to stand behind his friends and then worry about himself. It was very humble of him, but Eren wanted his friend to be watched over. It was an even trade, after all. No one had more responsibilities than the other, all four of them having an equal amount of jobs set for each other.

That’s why, trying to do it discreetly so that he wouldn’t be called out on it, Eren steered his horse closer to the back, leaving more space in between them and the four veteran soldiers. He wanted to be closer to his friends and he wanted to have a closer look when the titan was taken down. It would ease his own beast to see this threat killed and disposed of. He wanted it gone, no questions about it. It didn’t deserve to live after all of the damage it had caused to their formation. Who knows how many people this titan killed on this day alone.

Eren looked behind him for what seemed like the hundredth time, just to see the possible damage that this titan would experience at the hands of humanity. That thought made him smirk in satisfaction, but once he assessed the situation behind him, that smirk dropped in seconds. The titan was skillfully avoiding the soldiers’ blades, but there were still some small cuts in its skin. They steamed instantly, leaving behind a fresh patch of skin. Its hand was still covering its nape, not allowing the soldiers to get a clear shot.

Some of the soldiers tried to distract it, but they were shoved away by its other hand. Their frustration was easily noticeable, even to Eren, who was a few feet underneath them. That was a bit unsettling to him, just because he knew what that could lead to. He had been in their shoes once, his frustrations getting the better of him and leading him to lose a leg and an arm. He had exposed Isabel to the horror of seeing him get mutilated before her eyes, and that was still something that Eren felt guilty about to this day.

Once consumed by anger, one’s rational side completely disappeared and that was the last thing that someone wanted. That could lead to numerous casualties, including themselves being a victim. Eren was the perfect example of that, his hatred for that titan killing Thomas leading him to be eaten and inside a titan’s stomach. The only reason he was even alive right now was because of his titan abilities coming to the surface at that exact moment.

These soldiers, however, weren’t like him. If they miscalculated one of their attacks, it could lead to them being killed in a matter of seconds. There were no second chances for them. Once they were gone, _they were gone._ Those soldiers needed help fast, no doubt their emotions getting in the way of their thinking would result in something ugly for all of them. Unfortunately, none of them were given any orders to step in and aid them. Not even Petra or the others were willing to help them, choosing to keep on riding without even a single glance back in their direction.

This titan wouldn’t let those soldiers continue their mission for long, already its eyes darting from one to the another. Its gaze was calculating, a danger present in those blue eyes as it started to move slower than before. Cables were dug into the skin of its arms and legs, soldiers flying beside it while trying to find a way to put it down for the count. Eren’s heart skipped a beat when the titan’s eyes narrowed dangerously, and he wanted to shout a warning to the other soldiers so that they could get away from that titan, but by the time his mouth opened, it was already too late.

The titan had already leaned its huge form to the side so that its shoulder popped out. An unlucky soldier was behind it, the cables of his gear attached to its shoulder blade and a tree was behind him, leaving no room for a quick escape. The shouts of another soldier fell on deaf ears, the titan quickly closing in on its target with a sharp push backwards. The crunching noise it made when its shoulder collided with the soldier made Eren wince, but he couldn’t look away from the scene of the soldier getting squashed to death against the tree.

Blood splattered everywhere, the body of the soldier absolutely disintegrating into pieces. Its limbs were scattered all over the ground, forming a pile by the titan’s foot. There was a beat of silence before the screams of the other soldiers penetrated the forest, the despair and fear echoing through the trees. Eren could see his friends turn back to see what had happened, their eyes widening in surprise and shock when they realized what just occurred. Petra and Gunther looked back as well, their faces expressing every emotion that they tried to keep hidden.

Eren ground his teeth together to starve off the sorrowful howl that wanted to escape his throat. He may not have known that soldier, but the sight of him being squashed to death still pained him. Nobody deserved to die like that, especially one that tried to do what was right. The remaining soldiers sprang into action once again, but their movements were sloppy and weakened, the death of their comrade still fresh in their minds. Another soldier, a woman this time, was near the titan’s leg, but she was quickly disposed of when the titan kicked her away with a strong kick.

Her body was flung away at rapid speed before she collided with a tree, her form becoming limp as she collapsed. Blood was coming from her mouth and her eyes were wide open, the light in them gone, leaving a dark shadow hanging over her face. The three soldiers didn’t have much luck with the titan either. With almost half of them gone, it was impossible for them to attack it quick enough. In a flash, Eren saw as they were crushed in the titan’s hands and beneath its feet like annoying little bugs.

Even after all of that, the titan never ceased its running, its pace just as steady and quick as before. Now, with all of its obstacles taken care of, it focused on him again, like it knew of his exact position by memory. The titan seemed even more impatient than before, its hands easily knocking the trees in its path away. The bodies of the soldiers, or what was left of them, were laid out behind it, acting as a warning for any other would-be heroes. Eren forced his horse to speed up with a swift kick to its sides, the animal neighing before it ran faster.

“How strong is that titan?! It took out all five of them without breaking a sweat!” Isabel said, on the verge of a hysterical breakdown. Hearing her frantic tone of voice made Eren want to reach out and comfort her, but this wasn’t the time or place to do that. It would only distract her further and that was something that nobody here could afford. “You still want us to keep running?! There’s nobody that can help us now!” she yelled towards the four other soldiers leading them. Eld reached inside his coat, the green fabric flapping in the harsh wind, before he produced a flare gun in his hands.

He loaded a canister inside of it before raising it up into the air and then turned around to face them. “Everyone, cover your ears now!” he ordered seriously before shooting the gun. Eren barely had enough time to follow the older man’s order, the sharp noise of the flare shooting into the air making his head spin and ears ring. He didn’t bother to look at what color signal Eld had fired, only knowing that it could possibly bring them some help that they so desperately needed. Eld put away the gun inside of his jacket before continuing to ride forward, Eren finally able to uncover his ears.

“Why didn’t any of you help those soldiers out?! That titan could’ve been dealt with if you all would’ve lended a hand instead of just sitting there and leaving them alone!” he demanded, unable to keep his mouth shut on the matter anymore. It had bothered him ever since he saw those soldiers battling the titan, his inner desire to help them clashing with the four others choosing not to. Wasn’t that their jobs? Didn’t they have to help get rid of titans that posed a threat? It wasn’t like Eren and his friends were completely helpless without them. They could keep on going without them leading the way while they dealt with the titan. How could they just stand back while their comrades died for them?

“Don’t question our decisions! We’re trying to keep you safe, you hear?!” Oluo shouted back. The older man’s words held a heat behind them, almost as if he was exasperated with Eren’s constant questions regarding their choices. The lack of a proper answer agitated the brunette further, his temper boiling under his skin. “I don’t need you to keep me safe! My friends can handle that while _you_ handle the titan! How is having that thing behind us keeping me safe?!” he demanded again.

The thought process of these four was something that Eren could never understand. Their definition of safe wasn’t Eren’s, that was for sure. None of them fired back a retort, but Eren had stopped paying attention anyway. The titan was so close to them that its foot almost reached Furlan’s horse, the smaller animal running forward in fear of being trampled. The blonde swayed on the saddle, trying to calm his horse down to a reasonable level. Eren, unable to hold it in any longer, finally let loose the growl that had built up inside his throat.

How _dare_ that titan almost kill his friend? Why was it trying so hard to get rid of them just to get to him? How could these soldiers do nothing while the lives of his family were hanging in the balance? Eren looked down at his hand, the fingers curling into a fist as he realized what kind of a situation they were in. Why was he letting other people control him like this? What was the point of him being in this branch if he was just going to be controlled like an animal? That wasn’t what he wanted for himself or his friends.

When were they finally going to see them as valuable assets to the Survey Corps? Just because he was a titan-shifter and his friends were affiliated with him, that didn’t mean they deserved to be treated so unfairly. They were all still human beings, damn it! Why did he let himself be controlled like a puppet? He usually wasn’t like this, but he supposed that maybe it was because of his fear. He was afraid of what he was, so it was easier to let everyone else take control and set rules for him.

What a stupid decision, huh? No matter what situation he was in, Eren was _not_ going to let other people dictate his life like they had. He could make his own decisions and he knew what was best for him and his friends. They were a part of this too and their well-beings needed to be considered just as much as everyone else’s. Eren was sick and tired of being discriminated against by the other members of the Survey Corps. They saw him as a wild animal and they wanted to keep him locked up to do what _they_ wanted.

Well, that ended _now._

To hell with the consequences that would come from his actions. If this prevented any more casualties, then nobody else could complain. If they did, then Eren would have a little talk with them and set them straight. Eren Yeager was not one to be used for someone else’s benefit, and that was something that would never change. With his mind made up, Eren lifted his fisted hand and raised it to his mouth. A sharp intake of breath alerted him of someone’s eyes on him and when he looked around, he saw all of his friends eyeing him. They were frightened and unsure of his decision, but they didn’t try to change his mind. They knew just as well as he did that this was their best chance of winning this battle with their lives.

With a nod, he watched as his friends reluctantly moved away from him, trying to give him some space to transform. The other four soldiers were far away enough for them not to suspect his actions, which was a good thing. If they found out what he was planning, they’d do everything in their power to stop him. _‘Funny how they’ll actually do something about it when I’m involved,’_ Eren thought disdainfully as his lips hovered over his hand. He could feel his titan just begging to be let out, the heat in his veins becoming more than what he could handle.

He could do this, that was what he needed to tell himself. If he went into this fight unprepared, then he’d be killed alongside anyone else who was in that titan’s way. Those soldiers may not want to put themselves in the line of fire, but Eren would step up and become the hero they couldn’t. He’d show everyone that he could make his own decisions from now on. He wasn’t a kid that needed his hand held at every moment.

This battle was going to the hardest he’s had to face. While he battled other titans before, this one was far more skilled and intelligent. It was dangerous and powerful, so he needed to be on guard and think his actions through very carefully. He couldn’t promise that he’d have a hold over his emotions, but he was going to damn well try. This wasn’t just about him.

He was fully prepared to tear into his skin, his teeth just barely grazing the tan flesh, but a sudden shout of command and a boom of cannons firing made him freeze. He didn’t dare stop his horse though, the other four veterans continuing on through the blur of spears and cables. They melted together in the air, but the strong sound of them piercing through flesh satisfied Eren in a way he had never felt before.

It took almost a minute for all of the spears to penetrate the titan behind them, the sound of its feet hitting against the ground no longer able to be heard. When Petra and the others finally stopped, Eren and his friends slowed down until they were behind them. The horses were breathing rapidly, their thick chests rising and falling in time with their inhales and exhales. Eren could feel the sweat building up at the back of his neck and his temples, disgusting him. He never really liked feeling the salty liquid against his skin, but it was human nature so he had to accept it. Levi’s cleanliness was starting to rub off on him.

Eren looked around the area of the forest they were in and was surprised to see so many soldiers up on the trees and hiding in the bushes. He could pinpoint Hanji, Commander Erwin, and Mike as some of them, all with their blades drawn as they stared at the captured titan with interest and cautiousness. When he let himself lay eyes on the beast, he saw thousands of spears punctured through its skin, some even coming out the other side. There wasn’t an inch of its body that wasn’t covered. Even its eyes weren’t spared from the needle-like weapons, so many of them lodged in them that Eren was surprised the titan hadn’t roared in pain. He knew that he would have felt them, his titan able to feel everything as if he was human.

But even while trapped, the titan was still able to prevent anyone from going near its nape. Both of its arms were raised and clasped the back of its neck, protecting its weakness from the soldiers’ blades. It didn’t make a sound, even when a few soldiers pounced on it to try and remove its hands. There was the sound of steel clashing against one another, but when all of the soldiers returned to their posts, their blades were shattered into tiny pieces.

 _‘They can’t penetrate its skin? That must mean that it can harden it,’_ Eren thought. He heard of some titans’ abilities to further protect themselves by hardening their skin, but he had never seen one actually do it. It was just speculation to him since he didn’t really believe in that sort of thing. He was starting to learn more about these titans every single day. They weren’t as simple as most people inside the walls believed.

“What are they gonna do with it? Are they gonna kill it?” Furlan asked once they had all seen their share. Oluo shook his head, saying, “Commander Erwin and Hanji want to keep it alive and examine it. That crazy scientist actually wants to bring that titan inside the walls so that she can keep it, but I don’t know if the Commander will let her.” Eren’s eyes bugged out of their sockets as he heard of their agenda.

He had a sneaking suspicion that Hanji wanted some more titans to experiment on, but he hadn’t actually thought that she would go through with it. If it were any other titan, Eren wouldn’t have had so many issues, but this titan was just too dangerous. It caused so much trouble for them and Eren didn’t want another catastrophe to rear its ugly head. What happened five years ago was too much for him to handle, he didn’t think he’d be able to stand it again.

“How could she even think about doing something like that? Doesn’t she realize the danger that could put us all in?” Levi questioned, looking up at Hanji with narrowed eyes. The raven, unlike everyone else in the branch, had no problem with calling the scientist out on her bullshit. He didn’t like some of her methods of doing things, mostly because she was always a bit careless, and he made sure she knew it. Sometimes he was the one that talked her out of her irrational ideas, especially when it came to doing something to Eren.

The other soldier shrugged, too used to Hanji’s antics to question it any further. “Who knows. But that’s not what you need to focus on. We all have orders to keep going until we can find a safe place, preferably with another formation. After that, we’ll wait until we have to go back inside the walls,” he said as he turned his horse around so that his back was towards the titan. Eren bit his bottom lip, unsure if he wanted to leave while that titan was still alive.

But he had to trust the others to do their job, as hard as that was to acknowledge. They were strong in their own right, Mike being the toughest out of all of them, with Hanji coming in as a close second. If that titan tried anything, then Eren believed that they could keep it under control. And Commander Erwin was smart in his own way, his countless years of being a part of the Survey Corps teaching him things that Eren couldn’t even begin to imagine.

He could place his trust in them, just this once at least. After all, he wouldn’t be able to survive being in the Survey Corps if he didn’t at least try to lean on someone else for support. He couldn’t do _everything_ on his own, he realized that now. So, with one last nervous look behind him, Eren kicked his horse and rode away, his friends following his example and staying beside him in a protective circle.

More cannons fired every once in a while and a few puffs of steam clouded the trees, no doubt coming from the injured titan as it tried to heal itself. Eren couldn’t help but let his mind wander to the previous events, trying to understand what had just transpired. First of all, how could a titan that intelligent even be alive? Eren had never seen one like that before, minus the Colossus Titan from about a month ago.

How could it move so fluently and with purpose? It took out those other soldiers like it knew exactly what it was doing, and it didn’t even try to eat any human that crossed paths with it. It reminded Eren of his own titan, the two beasts sharing some characteristics that the other titans didn’t have.

Did that mean that this titan was just like him?

Was there someone, _a human_ , controlling it from behind the curtain?

Was such a thing possible? Of course, if he could achieve something like that, then had to be at least one more person that shared his abilities. But if that was true, then how did this person get their powers? He himself didn’t know exactly how his father gave him his strange abilities, only that it was for an important reason. He still hasn’t regained his memories of that day, so it was a little fuzzy.

Secondly, how did the others know that another titan like him existed? How else would they have set up that trap a few feet back there? Were they suspicious all along since he had shows his abilities to the world? Did they think someone was hiding among them, just waiting for the right moment to strike? Was that why Petra and the others didn’t want them to attack and kill it? They wanted that titan alive so that they could learn new information?

If his thoughts were true, then Eren and his friends were just used as bait for this titan. They must have been the only ones out of the loop, including the five soldiers that died earlier, since they so desperately wanted to kill it before it got too far. Petra and the others knew about this secret plan from the start, which explained why they were so adamant about him staying in line and not transforming. Eren had been played and he didn’t even realize it until now.

Was this worth the lives of the countless of soldiers that titan killed? Were his friends worth it if it meant that titan could be captured? They only wanted him alive, which was the whole reason they placed him in the safest spot of the entire formation. They could care less about his friends though, and that angered Eren. Apparently, being the most skilled soldiers didn’t mean a thing since they were still considered rookies compared the everyone else. Rookies weren’t really considered as part of the Survey Corps until they came back from their first expedition outside the walls alive.

 _‘Bullshit. They’ve done so much for this branch, yet they’re still viewed as worthless,’_ Eren thought. Was it because they weren’t even eighteen yet? They were still children in the eyes of the government, but that didn’t mean it protected them from being exposed to titans. True, Eren and his friends chose to do this, but they would’ve had to be a part of the military at some point. When some of the chaos died down after Eren and his friends were evacuated, every man, woman, and child over ten years old was examined to see if they would be worthy parts of the military.

From endurance tests to their health, everyone was either dismissed or pushed into training for the military. From there, the higher-ups would decide which branch everyone would be placed in. Eren was lucky that all of his friends were chosen to be with him as part of the Survey Corps. In the beginning, Isabel was actually supposed to be placed with the Military Police because of her struggles with the 3DMG, but she eventually proved them wrong after showing them how much she had improved.

The fact that the people dying were technically teenagers and children was the one thing that Eren disapproved of in the government. If the titans needed to be taken out as quickly and effectively as possible, then how come the ones inside Wall Sina weren’t out here doing the work? Just because they were rich didn’t mean that they should be excluded from what they were doing. And they still had the nerve to reprimand and scold them for not coming up with any results.

“You see? Maybe that’ll teach you brats to listen to us when we order you to do something. We know things that you don’t, so next time, don’t cause so much trouble,” Oluo boasted, turning to give them a smug look that irked Eren and made his titan growl in warning. Although the titan had been dealt with, Eren still wasn’t in the mood to deal with Oluo’s egotistical behavior. He reminded the brunette so much of Jean when they had first started training, but at least the two-toned had mellowed out.

Besides, it was normal for a teenager like Jean to act like that, but Oluo was an adult, so he should know better than to act like an immature child. Hell, Eren was sure that he had more manners than the older man, and that was saying something. “Well, you know what? Maybe you should tell us the plan instead of leaving us in the dark. If Eren hadn’t stepped in earlier, Levi could have gotten himself killed like the other soldiers who actually did their job,” Isabel hissed, her green eyes glaring a hole into the backs of the soldiers’ heads. Oluo huffed, but he didn’t say much of anything else after Isabel’s little spat.

“I’m sorry that we didn’t tell you about what was going on. We should have, but we were under strict orders to keep this a secret since it could jeopardize the mission,” Gunther apologized, his tone actually sounding sincere. Eren didn’t know if he could accept their apology so easily. They could have at least told them a few details in secret. It wasn’t like Eren and his friends were going to spill it to the rest of the world if they had known how important it was. They knew how to keep a secret.

“Things would have been smoother if you at least said something. The trust that I had in all of you is a long way from being repaired, I hope you know that,” Levi commented, refusing to let his eyes linger on the four veterans. It was like he couldn’t even stand to look in their direction, a sentiment that Eren wholeheartedly agreed on. While he may have liked them and looked up to them, the actions they pulled today were just too much for him to overlook. By not telling them a single detail, they had placed all of them in danger and didn’t even try to stop it.

Eren didn’t know about Isabel and Furlan, but he couldn’t find it in himself to look at them the same ever again. He had to give them credit though, they succeeded in capturing the titan without anything else going wrong, so he supposed he couldn’t be too upset at them. He would still keep a close eye on them after this whole ordeal, but hopefully in time he could trust them as much as he used to.

Eren just hoped that they could actually get through this mission without anything else happening, because he didn’t know how much more chaos he could take.


	21. Nine: Part Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the Female Titan captured, Levi and his friends have to deal with their issues with Petra, Oluo, Gunther, and Eld. However, they also have to handle another problem, and who knows if they’ll come out on top.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m back at it again with a new chapter!!!!
> 
> I’ve been gone for a while, probably a little over a month, and I was just dying to update this story. I kept on getting sidetracked from writing this chapter, either because of school, friends, or family issues, but today, I finally sat down and finished this bad boy! Of course, I could’ve worked on it this weekend, since I have four full days of relaxation, but I wanted to get this out of the way ASAP.
> 
> I honestly don’t know how long this chapter is, but while I was working on it on the computer, I saw that it was over 30 pages. In total, this story is almost to 300 pages in Google Docs, which shocked me since I didn’t think I wrote that much.
> 
> This one will hopefully hold you off until the next update, and I don’t know how long that one will take, so thank you all for being so patient! I truly appreciate it, really!
> 
> This chapter will have some Ereri moments thrown in there, but the ending will probably make you sad and a bit creeped out. You probably already know what this chapter will include if you’ve read the manga or seen the anime up to this point, so I hope you enjoy it!
> 
> It’ll be in Levi’s POV this time.
> 
> I’ll see you all next time and thank you for all the love! <3
> 
> Remember to leave comments and/or kudos!!!

Levi couldn’t stand to look at Petra or any of the other veterans, but he had no other choice but to acknowledge them as they got further and further away from the captured titan. Even the back of their heads put a sour taste in his mouth, and he tried to look at anything else but them. At this point, all Levi wanted was to go back inside the walls and put as much distance between him and the other soldiers as possible.

He didn’t understand how calm and confident they could be after the stunt they had just pulled. Granted, it wasn’t _completely_ their fault since they were ordered to keep it a secret, but even just a little hint or information about the real purpose of this expedition could’ve helped them a lot. Hell, _he almost died!_ And they did absolutely nothing to stop him from going after that titan. If Eren hadn’t stopped him at the last second, Levi was positive that he’d be just like those other soldiers.

_‘I’m so sorry. I promise your deaths won’t be in vain,’_ he thought sadly, his eyes downcast. Normally, he wouldn’t really be bothered if soldiers died, but he witnessed their murders. They were torn apart right in front of him, their agonized screams before they died a fresh memory in his brain. Their bodies were just a pile of corpses somewhere behind them, their blood coating the ground.

It just brought back the scene of his own mother being taken away from him. He could’ve done something to help them, but he was forced to stay put. All of his friends were put in danger, and that was probably what angered him the most. Of course he knew that they’d be at constant risk of dying, but Levi knew that it wasn’t their time yet. They could still achieve more and make a difference, so Levi wasn’t going to leave without a good fight.

They’d been riding for a good few minutes, their horses galloping as a group to the other side of the forest. No one had uttered a word, too wrapped up in their thoughts to even think about starting up a conversation. They weren’t out of the woods yet, even with that titan captured. There could be more of them hiding somewhere, and Levi didn’t have the energy to deal with titans anymore. That last encounter sucked all of his energy, leaving him almost sluggish and tired.

Eld, who was at the front of their small formation, began to slow his horse down, prompting everyone else behind him to do so as well. Levi lightly pulled on his horse’s reins, the animal snorting once before it slowed its pace. The raven let a small smile grace his lips, reaching down to pet his horse’s thick neck fondly. He had always had a soft spot for animals, just like Isabel, stemming from his mother back when he was a child.

Living out in the open fields brought forth many animals passing through their home. Levi couldn’t even count the number of times he’d seen dogs or cats lounging around their garden. His mother never scared them off, claiming that they were simply looking for a place to relax and it being pointless to chase them away if they weren’t bothering them. In fact, his mother adored the animals that came across their home.

She would sometimes leave food out for them during the early morning hours, which would always be gone by the time Levi went to pick up the bowl. Seeing his mother caring for them made Levi develop his own love for the little creatures. He would often sit outside and watch them sleep in the midst of the long grass, but he’d be too shy to get closer. He didn’t want to risk scaring them.

Still, Levi’s adoration never disappeared over the years. When he joined the Survey Corps and was allowed to choose his own horse, he had been excited and nervous. He wanted one that was well-behaved, powerful, and calm. It took him some time to find one, but he eventually came across a horse that matched his descriptions perfectly.

He had named his horse Rose, a nickname for the white flower known as Tuberose that his mother loved to grow in the garden. She was a beautiful animal, a shade of white that rivaled even the purest of snow. Her build was on the leaner side, but Levi could tell from their first meeting that she was strong and could hold her own. She had a calm demeanor, but she tended to be wary and skittish across people she didn’t recognize.

Even with that small fault, Levi still grew to love her and he could tell that she loved him in return. Even Eren had commented once that his horse was very attached to him and Levi couldn’t argue, seeing as his titan had some sort of connection to animals. That was still something he was confused about, but Levi didn’t really put much thought into it since it didn’t concern him.

Levi’s horse stopped beside Eren’s own animal, the two shaking their heads and nudging each other. The brunette’s companion was a pitch-black horse named Comet, something that Isabel had teased him for because of its unoriginality. Eren didn’t change it though since he liked the name and refused to go through the hassle of looking for another. The horse was well-built, with thick muscles that were prominent even a few feet away. It had a dangerous aura about it, eyes dark and calculating.

Their horses were polar opposites, Eren teasing that they were representations of both of them. Levi huffed at the memory, but he didn’t deny the assumption. He himself could see a bit of their personalities in their animals, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. Taking his focus off his previous thoughts, Levi looked around them, trying to figure out where they were.

Of course, with all the trees blocking his way, he couldn’t really distinguish their exact location. The only thing he did know was that they were far away from the titan, which eased Levi’s nerves just a little. He didn’t like being on the ground when the threat of titans were everywhere. He much preferred to be up on top of the trees, where no titan could reach him.

“This seems like a good spot to settle in. We’ll tie the horses here and then wait for further orders from up above,” Eld said as he dismounted from his horse, leading the animal towards a nearby tree and tying it to a thick branch. Petra followed, pulling on her horse’s reins. “Everyone, quickly tie your horses and use your maneuvering gear to climb the tree,” she ordered before she secured her horse to the same branch Eld had used.

She and Eld wasted no time in flying up to the high point of the tree, leaving behind a few leaves that managed to fall off their branches. The rest followed, making sure their animals were safely tied around the tree before they climbed the bark. Levi had to move from side to side, trying to avoid having a tree branch smack him in the face. Once everyone had made it to where Eld and Petra were situated, the veterans pulled out their blades.

“While we wait, we need to make sure no titans get past us. It’ll compromise the mission of experimenting on that titan if they get in the way. Other than that, we don’t do anything else,” Eld explained, noticing their confused faces. Levi nodded, but he didn’t pull out his own blades. They would just bother him in the long run, so he’d take them out when he needed them.

A few minutes of silence passed between them, the veterans looking around for any sign of titans while Levi and his friends watched them. “Who told you to keep quiet?” Isabel’s sudden question spooked everyone. The four veterans froze for a second before they relaxed, Gunther being the first one to look her in the eye.

“Commander Erwin. We and only a few select others were called into his office early in the morning and he discussed the plan. He ordered us to not let anyone else know about this so that the plan wouldn’t fail,” he said. Isabel huffed, crossing her arms over her chest as she looked at each of them disdainfully. Levi couldn’t really blame her for acting like that, knowing full well that they deserved it.

“How did the Commander know this plan _wouldn’t_ fail?” Furlan challenged, his blue eyes narrowing as he kept an eye on the four veterans as well as their surroundings. Even if Commander Erwin prohibited anyone else from finding out what their real motives were, how could he be sure that this plan of his was going to work? No one could predict something like that.

“He didn’t. It was just a risk that he decided to take so that we could have at least one advantage,” Oluo said, his eyes meeting Furlan’s head on without backing down. The tall blonde glared harder at this new revelation and Levi could feel his own frown start to form.

“You’re saying that the Commander risked all of us to a plan that wasn’t even thought to be effective?” Eren’s low voice said after a few seconds. Levi, surprised to hear that sort of tone coming from his friend, looked over in concern at the brunette. He found Eren with his form tensed up, his hands curled into fists, and his eyes glaring at the other soldiers.

The brunette sounded _pissed._

And really, who could blame him? All of their hard work was for nothing. They were used as sitting ducks for this titan, just bait to lure it into that trap. What if something had gone wrong? What if one of them made a wrong move and ended up ruining the whole plan? What would’ve happened then? All of them would be dead, no doubt about it.

Hell, it was a miracle that he was still alive. If things had gone differently, then Levi would’ve been tossed aside like the soldiers and left for some other titan to eat. Just the thought of that possibility made him shudder in disgust and he wrapped his arms around himself to chase off any imaginary hands reaching for him.

“Essentially,” Eld confirmed, a hint of shame visible in his eyes. The older man quickly looked away, as if he couldn’t stand to look in their direction after what had just happened. The response made Eren even more upset, the brunette’s eyes narrowing further. He took a step towards the others, and Levi made a move to intercept. He didn’t want his friend to get in trouble now.

“What was the point in all of us training then? Why did we spend two years going through drills and working ourselves to the point of collapse if we were just going to be used like this, huh?” Eren asked, his voice rising the more he spoke. Petra flinched at the brunette’s tone, her eyes focusing on her boots as her hair shielded her face. Eld and Gunther had equal amounts of shame and guilt plastered on their faces. Oluo, however, didn’t look to be too bothered by Eren’s words.

“Here we are, busting our ass for a better future, and you all want to use us like this?! What kind of shit is that?!” Eren snarled as he advanced, shortening the distance between him and the other four. Levi, sensing the potential chaos that could result if Eren continued this, rushed forward and grabbed his friend’s arm. The brunette stopped and looked down at him with eyes filled with rage.

However, apparently seeing Levi’s concern, his green eyes softened a bit. “Eren, please calm down. We can talk about this later, okay?” he placated, hoping that the brunette would listen to reason and back down. As much as Levi wanted to give the soldiers a piece of his mind as well, now was not the time for that. Once they were inside the walls, Eren could scream and yell all he wanted.

“Listen here, you ignorant brat! You think that you have a right to know everything, don’t you?! Just because you have your special titan abilities, that doesn’t mean a damn thing! You’re still a rookie, so you’ll listen to what _we_ have to say, got it?!” Oluo snapped, seemingly done putting up with Eren’s mood swings. The older man stepped past Petra, the woman’s orders to back off falling on deaf ears as he came closer to Eren.

The brunette’s calm demeanor vanished as soon as Oluo uttered that first sentence. His green eyes hardened and he bared his teeth, pulling away from Levi’s grip without even trying as he met Oluo step for step. Levi silently cursed the older soldier for his ability to get under Eren’s skin before he put himself in between the two men. He placed both hands on Eren’s chest, feeling the muscles underneath his fingers twitch. While the feel of them would’ve made Levi blush any other time, the only thing he could feel now was anxiousness.

“Eren! Don’t do this here, alright? Please, just try to stay calm,” he pleaded, but Eren didn’t hear him. His fierce gaze was staring a hole through Oluo, the older man doing nothing to intimidate him. “I should _kill you_ for the shit you just pulled, you bastard!” he roared, trying his hardest to get through Levi. Behind the brunette, Levi could see Isabel and Furlan edging closer, a warning look in their eyes as they gazed at something behind Levi. The raven guessed that the other three had done something to raise suspicion.

“So what?! Your friend almost died, but that happens every day! You don’t see us getting angry about it!” Oluo yelled, a few drops of spit flying from his mouth. His usually-slanted eyes were now wide open, letting Levi see the anger and impatience that he had bottled up for so long. It was the most out-of-character Levi had seen the older man since they met.

Beneath his fingers, Levi felt a rumbling come from Eren’s chest. Somehow, he could feel his body begin to close in on itself, his smaller frame gluing to Eren’s form as the other still tried to break free with even more vigor. “Don’t speak about it as if it wouldn’t matter! It sure as hell would matter to _me!_ ” Eren retaliated, venom apparent in his voice. Levi flinched from the tone his friend was using, unused to hearing him sound like that.

“You may not have someone like him, but that doesn’t mean you get to view him as someone easily forgotten! He’s my _everything!_ The reason I can live with having this monster inside of me! He makes it more bearable, and he’s _irreplaceable_ to me!” Eren snarled protectively. Levi’s breath hitched and he felt his arms and legs turn to jelly at Eren’s declaration. It almost caused him to lose his hold, but he quickly regained his bearings and continued to hold Eren back.

Did Eren mean that? Was he truly such an integral part in Eren’s life that he viewed him as irreplaceable? He couldn’t live with his titan if it wasn’t for him? Against his wishes, Levi could feel his cheeks grow hot and he tried to hide his face against Eren’s chest, hoping that no one would see how Eren’s words affected him. His heart began to beat faster, the organ forcing more blood to rush to his cheeks.

Eren treasured him so much that he was willingly fighting with a superior officer. What did he do to deserve someone like Eren? The other cared about him just as much, or perhaps even more, as he did about the brunette. While Levi didn’t want anybody else figuring out his hidden feelings for Eren, it seemed like the other didn’t have that problem. Here he was, basically blurting out to the entire world that he couldn’t live without him in his life.

Did that...oh god…

Did that mean Eren had those same feelings towards him?

Could it be that Eren felt something more than friendship between them? Was his one-sided attraction really not that one-sided? Levi had been so afraid to lose Eren because of his secret feelings, absolutely refusing to acknowledge them because of the risks it brought. He didn’t want to make Eren leave because he felt uncomfortable being around him if his feelings were ever exposed. It was just easier to pretend nothing had changed and pine from afar, where his feelings were safe.

But now that he had sort of an idea of how Eren viewed him, then maybe he wouldn’t have to relinquish his feelings after all. As mission-oriented as Eren was, Levi knew that his emotions still played a huge part in his identity. The brunette wouldn’t turn into a stoic soldier just for the sake of a mission. That just wasn’t how he operated.

If there was even the slightest chance that Eren saw him as something more than family, then Levi wouldn’t abandon his sentiments. He cared for the brunette, obviously, but he also wanted to be there for him in _different_ ways. Levi had never felt this way about anyone before, even now when he had just gone through puberty. He never looked at anyone else the same way he looked at Eren, which further intensified his emotions.

Eren certainly didn’t help matters either. The brunette somehow always managed to push the right buttons that would make him relinquish his unfazed attitude. With just a smirk or a few well-spoken words, he’d end up with a heavy blush decorating his cheeks and butterflies in his stomach. He would try to hide how he felt, but he probably wasn’t doing a pretty good job if the looks Isabel and Furlan gave him were anything to go by.

The craziest thing about it was that Eren didn’t even do those things on purpose. Or at least, that’s what Levi thought. He was just acting like his usual self, which was a bad thing on certain occasions. Sometimes, Levi wished that the brunette wasn’t so bold when it came to things like showing affection, but he wouldn’t have Eren any other way. He liked _everything_ about him.

Even when he was like this, where he behaved like a rabid animal on the brink of going crazy.

Hell, this was probably the side of Eren that he liked _the most_ , as weird as that sounded.

“If you _ever_ put him in a situation like that again, nothing will stop me from kicking your ass. I don’t care if you’re a veteran with almost a hundred kills under your belt. Compared to him, you’re not worth _a damn thing_ ,” Eren finished, the threat in his voice 100% honest. It wasn’t even a threat anymore, it was a promise. And Eren never went back on his promises.

Levi knew that this wasn’t the appropriate time, but he couldn’t help the tilt of his lips as he continued to hold Eren back. After that little spat, it finally seemed like the other was calming down. He huffed, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he continued to glare at Oluo, refusing to be the first one to look away. Levi rolled his eyes, assuming that Eren’s titan was the reason for his dominant behavior.

“Those feelings of yours will lead to your downfall. If you prioritize him, then you’re just going to be the reason he dies,” Oluo warned, finally breaking eye contact and walking away to his previous position on the other side of the tree. The three other soldiers gave them an apologetic look for Oluo’s behavior, but Levi could care less about that. Eren’s growl was small, but it still held power behind it. “Not as long as I’m around,” he said, but the other man didn’t hear him.

Levi abandoned his hold against Eren’s chest, settling for a grasp on his forearm, urging him to move away from the other four. “Alright, I think you’ve made your point. Let’s try to stay calm, okay?” he stated, successfully making Eren back away towards Isabel and Furlan. Eren let out one last huff before he turned away, coming face-to-face with his friends’ agitated looks. For once, they weren’t directed at him.

“I’m glad you finally stood up to that bastard. Someone needed to put him in his place,” Isabel sneered in Oluo’s direction. Her dislike towards the soldier seemed to have reached new heights after today. Eren followed her gaze, his glare never faltering. Levi squeezed his forearm, trying to avert the brunette’s attention.

“I’ll have no problem shoving his face into the dirt for how he spoke about Levi,” Eren growled, his green eyes settling on the raven. Levi shook his head, trying to placate the brunette so that he wouldn’t say things he’d regret. Although he knew that the words coming from Eren’s mouth were nothing but truthful, Eren didn’t have the best ability when it came to lying.

“I’m sure you won’t, but everyone else, especially the Military Police, will. They’ll use this against you and put you right back in that cell,” he reminded, drawing a wince out of Eren. Good, at least he hadn’t forgotten about his current predicament with the other branch. He needed to be aware that his every move was watched and documented, as well as his, Isabel, and Furlan’s. It was one of the disadvantages of being ‘Humanity's Last Hope.’

“If it means that you won’t be used like that again, then I’ll gladly be placed in that cell,” Eren said, his honest gaze burning a hole through Levi’s soul. Again, why did Eren have to be like that? It wasn’t fair of him to say those types of things! Didn’t he realize how much he was affected by them? Levi’s eyes slightly widened and he could feel a slight dust of pink on his cheeks, but he tried to play it off to starve off anymore embarrassment.

He and Eren kept eye contact with each other, and Levi could feel his cheeks getting hotter the longer he stared into Eren’s teal eyes. Why couldn’t he look away? Suddenly, a startled noise made its way out of Eren’s throat, his own eyes widening before he quickly looked away. Levi frowned, confused as to why Eren was acting shy now, but he noticed a slight blush decorating the other’s cheeks. It wasn’t very prominent since his skin was darker than his own, but Levi could still see it.

Was Eren like this because of what he said?

Either way, there was nothing that could be done now. Fortunately, neither Isabel of Furlan commented on their little moment, which was a surprise. Usually, the two would jump at the chance to tease them and their sappy moments. Well, it was mostly Isabel that made fun of them. She could never pass up the chance to tease her cousin, or so she had said.

It took a few minutes for both him and Eren to regain their composure, but they didn’t look at each other again. Levi would probably turn into a blushing mess if he did, and that was something he didn’t want to experience again. It didn’t seem right to act like that when they were out here, in a titan-infested forest. The visual of an ugly, deformed, man-eating titan helped Levi get his bearings.

“So what? We just stand here and keep an eye and ear out for any of those titan bastards?” Isabel asked, trying to divert the attention elsewhere. She had a worried frown on her face and kept looking around, no doubt feeling vulnerable being alone in a place that was incredibly dangerous. They didn’t know where the other soldiers were, and everyone else was dealing with that strange titan.

“That’s the plan, I guess. You think we should head up higher to have a better look?” Furlan wondered, his head tilting back to look at the thick branches above them. It could only help if they moved a few feet up so they could see the forest better. They could be alerted if a titan was on their way if they somehow didn’t hear the raging footsteps. Plus, it would get them away from the other four.

However, all of them couldn’t go. At least two of them needed to stay here so that they could keep an eye on this side of the forest. Besides, with the four of them on one branch, it would be too cramped, even if they were thick. The best way to go about this was to just send two of them up while the other pair stayed behind. “Why don’t you and Isabel go up, Furlan? You have pretty keen eyesight and Isabel can go up even higher for a better look,” he offered.

The blonde looked surprised, but he composed himself and nodded, turning to shoot his cables onto the branch above him. “Holler if you find something, okay?” Eren said, Furlan responding with a thumbs up and a smile before he disappeared in a blur of white and brown. Isabel wasn’t too far behind, practically skipping away to follow Furlan’s example of using her cables. She must’ve been excited by the thought of being able to go higher up into the trees. She did like heights, after all.

“Behave yourself, Isabel,” he warned, which earned him a huff and a tongue sticking out of her mouth before she set off. Levi shook his head, but he couldn’t help the fond smile that formed on his lips. Isabel was always so curious, her desire to see new things strengthened by the fact that they were out in the open. As long as she was careful, Levi would let her indulge a little. She deserved it.

When the two of them left, it was only Levi and Eren, along with the other four on the other side of the tree. There was a beat of silence between them, neither knowing what to say at the moment. Without looking at the brunette, Levi walked forward on the thick tree branch so that he could see below them. He didn’t want to be blindsided by a titan.

“Careful. I don’t want you to fall off and hurt yourself,” Eren warned as he followed after him until they stood side by side. Levi snorted, looking at the brunette with a raised eyebrow. “I’m not that reckless, you know. Unlike someone else…” he finished, letting the sentence hang in the air. Figuring out what he meant, Eren chuckled at his little insult before his face became more serious.

Growing concerned as he saw the hard look on Eren’s face, Levi sombered up and turned so that his body was directly facing the other. “Eren? Why the long face?” he asked quietly, not wanting the others to hear. He didn’t want the four soldiers to listen in on their private conversation. They didn’t have the right to snoop.

“You should’ve never had to do that…” Eren said, refusing to look at him. Levi sighed, knowing what his friend was referring to without even trying. It seemed like Eren wasn’t ready to let the situation go just yet. “I didn’t have a choice, Eren. It was the only thing I could do,” he defended himself, hoping that it wouldn’t take much for his friend to see his reasoning.

“How about letting me do the work? My titan could’ve dealt with it, and you would’ve been safe,” Eren argued, though his tone wasn’t angry. Levi didn’t know why the brunette couldn’t be upset with him, the only time being when he found out about Eren’s wishes to join the Survey Corps. That was the first and final time he had experienced Eren’s anger towards him.

Still, Levi didn’t let himself dwell on that thought. “You can’t keep me on the sidelines forever, you know. I joined this branch to fight, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do,” he said determinedly. While he appreciated Eren’s concern for his safety, he couldn’t be there every time he or his friends were in some kind of trouble. Levi trusted Eren to handle situations on his own, so the brunette should as well. It was only fair.

“I’m not trying to put you on the sidelines! It’s just, we have a promise to keep, and I’m not going to half-ass it,” Eren mumbled, looking down at the ground below them. His eyes were filled with sadness, those green orbs turning glassy as the brunette looked off into space. Levi’s gaze softened as he witnessed Eren’s internal struggle. He knew what his friend was thinking about and he couldn’t help the way his heart shattered a bit as he too recalled that day.

“I’m fully aware of that promise, but we have to balance it out with this job, Eren. We can still keep each other safe, but we have to make exceptions sometimes,” he said, trying to keep his voice soft so that Eren wouldn’t go off again. When it came to the promise they kept, Eren was always a bit vulnerable. He never felt like he did enough, always saying that he could’ve done more to protect his family. It stemmed from the fact that he couldn’t save his mother from being eaten.

Levi hated that Eren had so many responsibilities to keep. He was just a teenager, yet he had to worry about protecting humanity and his close family. Levi wanted to ease the burden his friend carried, and if he could help just a little, then he’d be happy. It was worth it to see Eren smiling and having his family together. He also wanted Eren to be safe, but he knew that his friend needed this type of exposure to grow as a person and make the right decisions.

“I don’t _want_ to make exceptions. I wish there was a way to keep you safe from everything. Even the thought of you getting hurt ticks me off,” Eren said, his lips setting into a firm line as he glared at his boots. Levi’s heart skipped a beat at the words and he resisted the urge to clutch at his chest in admiration. No matter how many times he said it, Eren’s constant need to keep him safe warmed his body like he never thought before.

“You _have_ kept me safe, Eren. In more ways than one,” he confessed, his voice so soft and quiet that he thought Eren wouldn’t be able to hear him. However, the turn of the brunette’s head towards him proved that he indeed caught what he had said. Levi could feel a bit of heat rush to his cheeks, and he tried to cover it by bringing his scarf higher to shield his face. He was never good at showing his emotions, but something about Eren made it a bit easier to overcome that struggle.

Eren didn’t respond, so Levi took the initiative to continue. “Just by being near me, you keep me safe. I feel like nothing can hurt me as long as you’re around, even though that sounds like a load of bullshit. Your strong presence gives me strength to keep on fighting, and it’s been like that ever since we were kids,” he rambled.

He felt vulnerable confessing these sentiments, but Eren deserved to know how good of a job he was doing in keeping his promise. He never failed in keeping him and his friends out of harm’s way, and Levi felt so grateful towards Eren for that. If his words helped Eren feel more confident in his abilities, then it was a win-win for both of them. He’d get to release some of his pent-up emotions and Eren would feel better.

Levi looked at the scarf around his neck, his fingers caressing the soft material lovingly. He remembered when Eren had wrapped this scarf around him, the warmth of it and Eren’s scent making him feel better almost instantly. It was just a piece of cloth, but Levi viewed it as a part of Eren. He had given it to him out of the kindness of his own heart even though Levi didn’t ask for it.

“This scarf, it makes me feel safe like you wouldn’t believe. Whenever I put it on, it feels like it’s _you_ who’s wrapping it around me,” he whispered so only Eren could hear. His fingers caught on the tangled strings at the bottom and he tried to gently comb through them, but all it did was make his scarf loosen and slide down his neck. After his confession, Eren didn’t say another word and Levi suddenly felt self-conscious about what he said.

Did he cross a line with Eren that he was never meant to? Did he make his hidden attraction obvious by saying those things? It didn’t matter now, they were out there for Eren to hear. As embarrassed as he was about telling Eren how he felt, he couldn’t deny that it felt good to have at least something for Eren to acknowledge. He just hoped that Eren wouldn’t resent him for it.

A warm touch against his fingers made Levi come out of his hesitant thoughts. He looked up and caught sight of Eren’s intense gaze on him, the strength of his eyes almost making him weak in the knees. Eren’s long and warm fingers trailed across his own, the contact making goosebumps appear on Levi’s skin. The digits trailed down towards the tangled ends of his scarf and they got to work on smoothing out the cloth.

Levi watched, mesmerized how swiftly and purposefully Eren’s fingers danced across the maroon fabric. In no time, the tangled strands were free of their confines and neatly straightened so that they wouldn’t bunch up together. After that was done, Eren’s hand trailed up towards the rest of the scarf and, with the aid of his other hand, fixed the garment until it was wrapped securely around Levi’s neck once more.

Levi’s breath hitched when he felt Eren’s fingers ghost over the flesh on his neck as he fixed the scarf. Once his neck was fully covered, Eren pulled back until his hands were by his sides. Looking up, Levi was met with the brunette’s green eyes, a heat in them that the raven had never seen before. It thrilled him somehow to see that look directed at him, and his heart started to beat at a frantic pace.

“No matter what happens, I’ll always be there to wrap this scarf around you. Whenever you need me, I’ll be there in a millisecond. You’re the most important person in my life, and nothing will _ever_ replace you,” Eren whispered, the raw emotion in his voice and honest gaze making it impossible for Levi to keep a straight face. He smiled warmly at Eren, the other reciprocating the action.

Feeling like that was enough of a tender moment, Levi pulled back and fixed Eren with a teasing smirk. “My, who knew that someone as brash and rough like Eren Yeager could be so soft,” he remarked. The other chuckled at his words, shaking his head so that his shaggy hair went in all directions. The grin that Levi was rewarded with was all sharp teeth and arrogance, making the brunette look strikingly similar to his beast.

“And who knew that someone as ice cold as you could be brought so close to tears just by a few words,” Eren insulted, though there was no real heat behind his words. A hint of playfulness was in the air, which was highly inappropriate in a serious situation like this, but Levi didn’t care. They had been through a lot to get to this point so they deserved to have a little bit of fun. It wasn’t like they were doing much to begin with anyway.

“Oh, shut it,” Levi said, turning away to hide his smile as he heard Eren’s laugh. Gosh, he _loved_ it when Eren let loose and had fun. It was what teenagers did and the brunette more than deserved to have this moment of happiness after all of the crap he’d been through. He wanted Eren to enjoy his life even in the midst of battling titans left and right. They could still have time to relax and enjoy their life, as dangerous as it was. They would go crazy if they didn’t let all of their responsibilities go once in a while.

Eren’s laughter died down until the only thing that could be heard was his rapid breathing. Levi didn’t say anything after, the quietness making him feel like he was in the safest place possible, even though that was very far from the truth. This forest was like a living nightmare, crawling with titans that were simply waiting for them to make themselves known. Levi was mildly surprised that they hadn’t encountered a single titan since they had left the abnormal one to the others. He assumed that the monsters would be running towards them because of the loud noises.

Levi guessed that they were out in the open somewhere, far away enough that they couldn’t hear all the commotion. Well, wherever they were hiding, Levi was fully prepared to use his blades and cut apart their necks. He may be small compared to most, but he had speed and skills that were almost unparalleled. And with Eren, Isabel, and Furlan by his side, the raven had no doubt that they could beat any titan that they came across.

Eren wasn’t going to stand by any longer either. The brunette was very headstrong and stubborn, so Levi was surprised that he was willing to be treated like a puppet for so long. That wasn’t something Eren would do, but he was happy that he seemed to come to his senses. No one deserved to be treated like a toy, and Eren was finally able to stand up for himself. He would no longer do what others forced him to until he allowed it. That was how humanity was supposed to work together.

A few thumps were heard, but they sounded so muffled that Levi didn’t really see them as a threat. They were probably near the edge of the forest, but they would be taken care of. He had heard the other four’s quiet conversation from the other side of the tree, saying that some of the rookies and other veterans were at the edge of the forest, keeping the titans from coming in. Apparently, they couldn’t risk letting any of the titans inside since they could throw their whole plan off course.

If this titan was like Eren, then that meant the other titans viewed it as an enemy. Levi didn’t know how, but they had an idea that these weren’t their brethren and did everything they could to get rid of them, which proved to be a little difficult. _‘As if Eren would ever see those monsters that way. He’s the one that hates them the most,’_ Levi thought, actually feeling ashamed that he thought his friend would even consider having such positive thoughts about the beasts that ruined his life. There was no way that the brunette could forgive the ones that harmed his family.

“They’re doing their job, at least. The last thing we need is to have more titans coming our way,” Eren said, keeping his eyes on their surroundings. Levi hummed, the response the most Eren was going to get at this point. While they were relatively safe now, Levi refused to let his guard down. They were still outside the walls and that meant danger at every turn. He’d let himself relax once he and his friends were back inside, where they were relatively safe from any wandering titans.

More noises were heard from below them, but they were too quiet for them to be a titan’s. Levi assumed they were animals that resided in the forest, just going about their business like any other day. The raven didn’t understand how the resident animals could stand to live in such a dangerous place like this, but he could see why they weren’t afraid. The titans didn’t eat animals at all, something about them making the beasts ignore them in favor of humans. Levi envied them with a passion, jealous that they could do as they pleased while he and the rest of humanity were treated like a herd of cattle.

“Hey, Levi?” Eren called out to him, making the raven turn around. He frowned when he saw the hesitant look on Eren’s face, almost as if he was walking on pins and needles. His voice appeared to be calm and composed, but Levi knew Eren well enough to know that it was a mask to hide how he truly felt. What was Eren afraid of? Nobody else but him was listening to the conversation and he wouldn’t make fun of Eren or reprimand him. He may be strict, but he always had a soft spot for his family.

“Yeah? Something on your mind? You seem uncomfortable,” he replied, raking his eyes over his friend’s body in case he had an injury. Though, with his titan-healing abilities, Levi doubted that the brunette could suffer from any minor wounds or things like that. He really needed to stop worrying over Eren whenever he got a little cut or scrape, but he couldn’t shake off the habit. Ever since they were kids, he stitched Eren up every time he had an injury. Well, all the minor ones at least. Dr. Yeager took care of all the burns and other injuries that were way out of his league.

“Do you think that titan is like me? You know, with a human inside controlling its every move?” Eren asked, keeping his voice soft so that no one else could hear what they were talking about. He sounded so worried that Levi had the urge to lie and tell him that it was impossible, that he didn’t need to stress over something like that, but he couldn’t. He was always honest with everyone, no matter the situation. Besides, he didn’t want to treat Eren like he was something fragile.

He deserved to be treated like an adult, just like he treated everyone else. Eren was one of the strongest people he knew, so Levi had no reason to lie to him. Eren deserved honesty and he could handle the truth, no matter how hard it was to hear. Levi knew for a fact that he would hate being lied to just to be protected, a fact that the brunette constantly reminded them of whenever they hovered over him like a small child. Eren absolutely detested being treated like that, and Levi didn’t have the heart to use him in that manner now.

“It’s certainly possible. I mean, look at you,” he answered, waving a hand towards Eren. “Here you are, a human that can transform into a titan with just one bite. Nobody thought that someone like that could exist, and yet look where we are now. If you exist, then there has to be at least one more person with that same ability,” he explained. Eren bit his bottom lip, nodding as he turned so that he was facing the trees in the distance. He sighed, almost as if he hated the answer Levi gave him.

“That’s exactly what I was afraid you’d say. I know it sounds childish, but I was hoping that this would be something I’d handle alone. Having me as a titan-shifter is dangerous enough, but now that there could be more? That’s going to spell disaster for humanity,” Eren said. Though the words coming from the brunette were honest, Levi understood the hidden meaning behind them.

Having another titan-shifter would spell disaster for Eren. Levi had no doubt that the Military Police would blame his friend for there being another human with these dangerous and unpredictable abilities. Eren certainly couldn’t control that aspect of life, but they would still hold him accountable for this possibly new titan-shifter. They detested Eren enough as it was, but if this discovery happened to be true, then they would absolutely _loathe_ him for the rest of his life.

Eren didn’t deserve all of the hate that they thrusted upon him, but that was just the sacrifice he had to make because of his titan abilities. Sure, he received all of this amazing power, but in return, he had to deal with the constant harassment of humanity because he wasn’t entirely human. Levi had long since come to the conclusion that he could give two shits about what the rest of humanity thought about Eren.

If they viewed Eren as some horrible monster, then that was their problem. Only the people that really knew and understood the brunette saw him as who he really was. He was their best chance at having a better future, a hope that they thought they’d never have again. Levi saw Eren as ‘Humanity’s Last Hope,’ the one person that could turn this war around and help them fight back against the titans that had ruled over them for so long.

As much as Eren stated that he didn’t care what humanity thought of him, Levi knew that there was still some tiny part inside of him that _did_ care. Of course, it wouldn’t be by much, but it was still there. Eren didn’t need them to praise him or call him a hero and he never would. However, it wouldn’t hurt to have them at least acknowledge his abilities and see him as a valuable asset to their cause.

That was the least they could do for Eren after all that he’s been through.

Still, even if they didn’t, Levi and his friends would be there. No matter how strong the brunette was, he needed support so that he could be the best of the best. Levi had no intentions of leaving Eren to fend for himself, not now or ever. Even if there was another titan-shifter, his thoughts about Eren wouldn’t change. He wasn’t like that other one. He didn’t kill innocent people for the heck of it. The only killing intent Eren had was towards the titans, who more than deserved it for all the pain and misery they caused.

“I’ve never seen a titan that deadly before. Its skills are way beyond mine, which worries me. I may be strong, but that titan has skills and can maneuver between us like it’s nothing.” Eren said, forcing Levi to think back on how the other titan absolutely demolished the soldiers. It looked like it was doing it out of habit, its moves so fluid and quick that he didn’t know what was going on before it was too late. Its speed was on a whole new level, an attribute that Eren’s titan didn’t have. His beast was more reliant on strength than quickness, its build preventing it from moving as fast as the other. The captured titan had the advantage of being leaner than Eren’s own, even if it wasn’t the strongest.

They sort of balanced each other out, but it was a shame that the captured titan seemed to view Eren as an enemy. The way its eyes landed on the titan-shifter made Levi uneasy, both because of the threat they possessed and the hidden knowledge they appeared to have. It knew who Eren was, even while he was still human. Whether Eren’s scent was mixed with his titan’s was something Levi didn’t know, but this recognition went far beyond the concept of smell. No, this titan knew Eren personally. Why else would it try to do something against him?

“My guess is that whoever’s inside it must have known about their abilities far longer than you have. That’s the only explanation why they’re so good with their technique and how to move to counteract our attempts to kill it. They had to have known how we operate in order to get this far into the formation,” he said, his brows furrowing the more he thought about it. That certainly wasn’t a good thing right now. If what he was saying was true, then that meant whoever was inside that titan was one of _them._

“Wait a minute, are you saying that this titan has been with us long enough to know about my abilities? That means that they would’ve had to be in the military and witnessed my transformation. No one else apart from the people you were with in HQ knew that it was me who came out of that titan. Everyone else was informed well after that,” Eren concluded, his eyes wide as they searched his face for any type of affirmative or refusal. Levi bit the inside of his cheek, his fears from earlier now more apparent than ever.

If Eren had the same suspicion, then that had to mean something. The possibility of having another titan-shifter other than Eren in their ranks was not what they needed right now. Considering the fact that this titan seemed to be going against humanity, Levi suspected that this would lead to even more problems. The higher-ups would question Eren’s loyalty again and they’d be back to square one. Levi knew how their simple minds worked in situations like these. They would go back to wanting to kill Eren because of the threat he possessed, completely disregarding the fact that he didn’t want to hurt humanity like the other titans.

What was it going to take for them to see that Eren wanted to _help_ humanity?

Were they really so dense to not see Eren’s loyalty and dedication? Have his past actions really been overlooked just because of his new dynamic? Titan or not, Eren was still human, has been for the past fifteen years. He hasn’t lost his humanity since gaining his titan abilities at all. He’s still the same stubborn and dedicated teenage boy that he’s always been.

“That’s the only explanation I can agree with at this point. A titan from outside the walls isn’t that smart and they would’ve died instantly, since they’re viewed as food just like us. They’ve also had some type of prior training before the battle, since there’s no way it could’ve improved this quickly in about a month,” Levi said. The more he thought about what the future could hold, the less he enjoyed it. It seemed like things just got more complicated.

“I can’t believe it,” Eren whispered, his eyes downcast as they looked from left to right rapidly. “There’s been someone like me all this time, and I never realized it,” he said in disbelief. Levi tilted his head, eyes scrunched up as he watched the brunette. That was another problem that they were faced with. If this person was inside the walls, around _them_ , how come Eren didn’t notice?

Levi thought that he would know straight away because of his heightened senses. Maybe there were limitations that they didn’t know about? Hanji never really tested those aspects in Eren’s training, but it wasn’t her fault since none of them could’ve predicted another shock like this. Perhaps this other titan-shifter, since it had more experience, could hide their scent so that Eren couldn’t detect them. After all, if they were hiding, then there had to be a very good reason why. They wouldn’t want to be discovered and killed before it finished whatever it needed to do.

“Don’t you dare start blaming yourself for any of this. I know how you are,” he warned, noticing the guilty look that Eren was sporting. His eyebrows were furrowed and his mouth was set in a firm line, but his eyes held nothing but sadness. Levi hated it when Eren was like this. Why did he need to feel like every bad situation was fault when he couldn’t do anything? It wasn’t Eren’s responsibility to know everything about the titans, especially when he was just starting to get the hang of his new power.

“But maybe we wouldn’t be in this mess if I had just trained harder! I’m the only one that could’ve detected that titan-shifter, and I let one of them–” Eren began to say, but Levi quickly shut him up with a whack to the head. The other groaned as he rubbed the abused flesh, but Levi could care less about the pain he was in. He deserved it for saying something stupid like that.

“You’ve got to be the most idiotic person I’ve ever met,” he insulted, resting one hand on his hip while the other hovered in the air, threatening to hit Eren again if he said one more word. The titan-shifter gulped in fear, but he obediently kept his mouth shut for now. “You’re seriously blaming yourself when you had no control over this? Give me a break, Eren!” Levi asked incredulously.

“But–” Eren started again, only to be silenced by Levi once more. “I’ve had enough of you harboring all of this guilt for things that you had no way of controlling. You’ve trained for a month in order to get this titan of yours under control, but that’s not going to make you an expert at this like that other one. You can’t possibly blame yourself for not noticing something like that when it shouldn’t even be possible in the first place,” Levi ranted, his voice rising until he was sure that the others could hear him.

He didn’t care if they listened or not at this point. If this got through Eren’s thick-headed skull, then he’d shout it out for the world to hear. This was something that Eren absolutely _needed_ to understand. He was not at fault for anything that has or will happen. It didn’t matter who blamed him, he just needed to know that he wasn’t going to be held accountable for any of this. He was a teenager! He didn’t need all of these responsibilities on his shoulders.

“Whatever happens from here on out, just know that you tried your best. If you want to do better next time, then all you have to do is try harder, understand?” he asked, his tone leaving no room for argument. He felt satisfied when Eren dutifully nodded, and he lowered his arm until it rested at his side again. He saw Eren’s tense form relax, the brunette realizing that he wouldn’t need to worry about getting hit again.

“How come you manage to scare and make me feel better at the same time?” Eren wondered. Levi shrugged, but the corner of his mouth tilted up in a small smirk. “It’s a gift,” was his simple reply, before he turned away from Eren to resume keeping watch of their surroundings. A snort came from behind him before silence reigned over them once again. For now, it seemed like a few of their current problems were dealt with.

Levi wished he could focus on his current task, but his attention kept on shifting to Eren. For some reason, the other still seemed tense and anxious, as if he was waiting for someone to pop out at any moment. He tried to ignore it the first few times, but when he saw that Eren’s hand actually began to twitch, he sighed in defeat. The other was still bothered by something, which made Levi wonder how many problems Eren had stored in that big head of his.

“What’s got you so worked up now?” he asked irritably, trying not to sound too annoyed. He failed miserably at it, judging by the look on the other’s face. Levi didn’t really have the skills to mask his emotions when it came to his family. He was an open book for Eren, Furlan, and Isabel to see whenever they liked. It wasn’t like he didn’t try, but there was something about the three of them that prevented him from shielding anything.

Eren looked like he would prefer to keep his mouth shut, no doubt thinking that he had said more than enough for today, but Levi gave him one of his signature glares that silently told him to fess up. It’d be no good for Eren to keep all of his thoughts to himself. Levi knew first hand how much that could damage the other mentally. It was undoubtedly better for Eren to express himself, no matter how irrational or idiotic his thoughts may be.

“I know I might just be overreacting, but something about this doesn’t seem right to me. It’s way too quiet and calm after what we’ve just experienced. Am I just losing my marbles over here?” Eren asked worriedly, turning his head left and right at their surroundings. At first, Levi was about to say that, yes, Eren _was_ overreacting, but he stopped himself and thought about where his friend was coming from.

They had just spent who knows how long running away from some apparent titan-shifter, witnessing some of their comrades die, and captured the beast less than half an hour ago. Going from uncontrolled chaos to peaceful solitude was unusual, even if their main enemy was dealt with for the moment. It felt like the calm before a storm, as if danger was just preparing itself until it reared its ugly head.

It made Levi’s skin tingle, his blood streaming through his veins at lightning speed. How come it took him this long to feel like this? Perhaps it was because he was just starting to calm down from the adrenaline that had taken over him while that titan was chasing them. Now, with no supposed dangers looming over them, his other senses were able to come out and address the situation.

Eren’s heightened senses had caught up to his own thanks to his titan fusing with his human DNA. It gave him an extra boost in terms of smell, touch, behavior, and sight, with some added adjustments to other certain parts of his character. Sometimes, Eren viewed it as a bother and nuisance, but in situations such as these, they were a blessing. More often than not, it was because of Eren’s heightened senses that they got out of a situation alive.

“I don’t think you’re going crazy, Eren. I can kind of see what you’re talking about,” he answered. In response, the brunette’s hands hovered over his hip compartments, his fingers centimeters away from pulling out a sharp blade. As much as it shocked Levi, the other teen diligently kept track of his gear. The raven could recall countless of times that he’s seen Eren sharpen up his blades whenever they had some free time and he had nothing better to do. It was a hobby of some sorts.

Maybe his habits were starting to rub off on him.

“I don’t know. I just hope I’m wrong about this,” Eren said, a hint of hope underlying the words. Levi too held onto that possibility that this was all in Eren’s head, that maybe this mission was starting to get to him, but his instincts were almost always right. Whenever he said that something was wrong or he felt weird about something, Levi knew that, more than likely, he wasn’t just spouting bullshit.

“Let’s just keep our eyes–” Levi began to say, but the sudden noise of a loud roar interrupted him. It was a shrill sound, a weird mixture between a scream and roar that conveyed all types of emotions Levi didn’t understand. Not that he could in the first place, since its high octave and loudness made his ears ring. He immediately covered his ears as he hunched over, and he could faintly hear the others panicking, asking as loud as they could what was going on.

Levi shut his eyes, as if he could block out the awful noise if he simply enveloped himself in darkness. Unfortunately, even with his ears covered, he could still hear the scream as clear as day. It literally shook the earth, the tree they were all situated on rumbling as a few leaves fell from their branches. The animals that were once around bolted for cover, leaving them alone as they sought any type of shelter from the noise.

Because the tree was shaking, Levi could feel himself losing his balance on the thick bark. It was only a matter of time before he slipped, and when he did, he couldn’t react quickly enough to grab onto something in order to save himself. He let out a noise of surprise when he felt an arm wrap around his waist and pull him up, away from the edge of the branch.

He stumbled forward until he collided with a hard body, the warmth and smell emanating from it letting Levi know that it was Eren. The brunette didn’t retract his arm once he was safe. Instead, he just held on tighter and seemed to encase his smaller body against his own. It was like Eren was trying to protect him, even though the danger was only a roar that came out of nowhere.

Levi clenched his teeth, the scream that pierced the air on the verge of painful for his ears. He so badly wanted it to stop, to no longer suffer from the agonizing scream that never seemed to end. As much as Eren tried to block out the noise, he was still subjected to it. Because of their close proximity to each other, Levi could feel Eren’s chest rumbling with his own beastly roar.

Of course, it was nothing compared to the one that had blasted his ear drums, but it was still raw and powerful. It came from the depths of Eren’s soul, the growl deep and animalistic, making Levi’s body shiver. While Eren’s roar was much closer, it had a completely different effect on him than its counterpart. This one made him feel safe and protected, as if Eren was telling him that he was there, that he wouldn’t let anything hurt him. It was a rather silly thought, but it made Levi feel better.

The roar seemed to drag on for hours, but it eventually lowered in volume until it stopped completely. Levi didn’t dare remove his hands just yet, afraid that if he did, his ears would be violated again. But, after a few more tense seconds of silence, he slowly uncovered them and pulled his head away from Eren’s chest, something that he didn’t realize he had done. Sensing his movement, Eren hesitantly unwrapped his arm from him, but made no move to put some space in between them.

Levi looked around them, waiting to see if a titan would come running, but he found none. It was like the roar never happened, everything as still as it was before. “What the hell was that?! Some kind of battle cry?!” Isabel asked from above them, before she hopped down onto their branch as she rubbed her ears. Furlan was a step behind her, looking rattled as his blue eyes darted all around them anxiously.

“I don’t know, but whatever it was supposed to be, it’s certainly not good,” Eren answered, his voice still deep because of his growl. The brunette was glaring at a part of the forest, which was probably where the scream originated from. Levi didn’t know what Eren was thinking, but based on the look he had, it was something along the lines of: fight and destroy. Maybe that titan’s scream awoke something in Eren’s own beast, making the brunette more agitated and reliant on instinct.

“Hey! Are you all okay?” Eld asked as he and the other three made their way around the tree to where they were. They too looked startled by the sudden noise that assaulted them, their eyes displaying different arrays of shock and slight fear. None of them have heard a noise like that, even in terms of Eren’s titan. “Yeah, I think we’re good,” he answered back to the older man.

“Who the hell made that roar? Was it the titan that we captured?” Furlan asked, looking in the same direction as Eren. If the sound came from the direction they just left, then it _had_ to be that one titan they tried so hard to escape from. He had never heard any titan sound that desperate before, no matter the situation. It was like the titan was calling for help, which, if true, was a very bad thing for all of them. Titans would swarm in and wipe them all out in record time.

“It had to have been that titan. There were no others in the area for it to have come from any other. We would’ve heard footsteps if another one was lurking around. Titans can’t be _that_ stealthy,” he answered. He tried to appear unaffected, but the shakiness in his voice gave it away. No one can keep their composure after hearing something like that. If they were all caught off guard, then the soldiers who were with that titan had it worse. They were right beside it when it let out that helpless scream.

“What the hell does that mean then? Should we just leave?” Isabel asked, blades drawn out and ready for any incoming attack. She was slightly crouched into a fighting stance, head turning this way and that in search of any titans that would react to the call. So far, none appeared. “Absolutely not. We’re not abandoning our post until we receive orders from the Commander. Until then, we just have to stay on guard,” Petra ordered, her tone leaving no room for argument. Well, too bad she was facing one of the most stubborn people in the military.

“Oh? So we just stay and take the risk of getting ambushed by titans? That titan screamed for a reason, Petra! It wasn’t just doing it so that we could hear it sing!” Eren snapped, his teal eyes flashing into a darker color for a second before they reverted back to normal. It was such a rapid change that Levi almost didn’t catch it. “I know that! But I trust the Commander and if he thinks that this situation is getting out of hand, then he’ll send off a flare for us to retreat,” she defended.

Eren groaned in impatience, throwing his hands in the air as he turned away from them so that his rigid back was the only thing they could see. “You’re so ignorant when it comes to this titan. I know what it wants, and that’s to cause as much damage and death as possible. That roar was a call for help, and I assure you that it _will_ get it. We’re in a titan forest, for god sake! Those soldiers, including Commander Erwin, will all die if we don’t get out of here _now_ ,” he explained in frustration, throwing a glare at the four veteran soldiers by the end of his rant.

“That may be true, but we still can’t leave without the Commander’s orders,” Petra stood her ground, even with Eren beginning to lose his composure. Levi could only watch as his friend became more agitated the longer they stayed here, his back muscles rigid through his Survey Corps cape and signature shirt underneath. Petra and the others didn’t seem to understand the depths of Eren’s knowledge about titans. Hell, he himself probably didn’t know, but he learned to trust in Eren’s instincts when it came to titan behaviors and stuff of that nature.

If Eren said that the titan was calling for help, then that was what it was doing. Though the brunette hadn’t spent a lot of time perfecting his other titan abilities, the instinctual learning came almost naturally to him. From the moment he woke up after he released himself from his titan, he understood perfectly what the behaviors of titans were. The knowledge in his eyes when he transformed to seal the wall was easily noticeable to him, so how come Petra and the others had a hard time distinguishing that?

Perhaps they just didn’t trust in Eren’s abilities yet. After all, how could they when all they could see was a fifteen-year-old boy? Levi felt a twinge of agitation as he thought about how Eren was viewed compared to the other soldiers. They treated him like he wasn’t going to last a single day outside the walls, as if Eren’s titan powers weren’t useful. Because of his age, they didn’t take Eren seriously compared to the veterans, and that highly bothered Levi. Eren has proven time and time again that he could stand on the front lines and get work done, no matter the obstacles. What else did Eren have to do so that they could treat him fairly?

A distinct rumbling began to filter through Levi’s ears and the raven could feel the dread in his heart. It was so miniscule that he probably wouldn’t have even noticed it if it weren’t for Eren’s sharp head turn. The brunette was facing towards his left, his eyes narrowed as he didn’t make a sound so that he could hear the potential danger. Levi didn’t even have to question what exactly he was hearing, the look on Eren’s face enough of an answer. Titans were making their way inside the forest.

They sounded too far away in order to place them in any immediate danger, but Levi still felt uneasy. They were probably on the other side of the forest, where the other soldiers were stationed, and that at least provided him and his friends some time. However, that titan they captured was right in front of them, meaning they’d have to meet up with one sooner or later. Who knows? Maybe the titans would ignore the call and come straight for them. They wouldn’t abandon the idea of having a quick snack.

It just made Levi want to get out of this forest that much quicker. The footfalls began to sound heavier as the titans quickly entered the forest, gaining in numbers until it was like a miniature earthquake could be mistaken for what was really going on. A few roars could be distinguished as well, sounding too jumbled together to form anything but a chaotic mess. Those titans were like a pack of animals, and judging by the occasional thumps and sounds of trees being uprooted, Levi guessed that some of the smaller ones were being tossed around.

It was every titan for itself, he supposed.

None of them cared about anything else except making a feast out of them.

“How many of them do you think there are?” Furlan wondered, his voice nothing but a whisper that the wind picked up. “A few dozen, I’d say. There’s no way we’ll be able to outrun all of them without suffering casualties or extensive damage if they come our way. That’s why I suggested we leave while we had the chance,” Eren answered, turning around until his eyes landed on the four soldiers near the trunk of the tree. Still, even with the disturbing knowledge of how many titans they were dealing with, none of them suggested they follow with Eren’s proposal.

The amount of trust they had in Commander Erwin was astounding, Levi decided. They still believed that everything would be under control until he sent off a flare or any other type of signal for them to abandon the mission. Well, hopefully the man wasn’t dead yet, because those four soldiers would probably collapse at the possibility. They obviously looked up to Commander Erwin, as most of the other soldiers and citizens did, and if they heard that the man was killed because of this, they’d never be the same again.

But, this was his gamble and if he did end up dying, then Levi could only feel sorry for the ones he left behind, After all, _he_ wouldn’t be upset if the Commander got killed, seeing as it was his foolish decision to stay while dozens of man-eating titans surrounded him and his other soldiers. Although, he would mourn the loss of Hanji, as crazy and titan-obsessed as she was. She was the first person other than Isabel and Furlan to accept Eren’s abilities and not see him as a monster.

He’d let the other soldiers place their trust in the Commander, since it appeared that they wouldn’t budge. They could just leave them and find a safer place to lay low like Eren suggested, but that would probably cause more problems for all of them. Not only would they be separated from the ones that were supposed to keep an eye on them, they would also be alone to fend off the hoard of titans that had already made their presence known inside the forest. Eren’s titan was a huge advantage, but Levi didn’t think that even he could hold his own with so many enemies. This forest didn’t really allow for a clear battleground either.

With no other choice, Levi swallowed his pride and forced himself to stay rooted to his spot on the tree, even as he witnessed Eren’s internal battle to choose what to do. The brunette was rational most of the time, but his titan instincts were making it harder for him to listen to what the other soldiers had to say. His beast’s dominant nature was trying to control him, but based on the look on Eren’s face, he wasn’t letting it get the upper hand so easily.

The loud rumbling had minimized by the time Levi forced himself to follow Petra’s orders, but there were still a few stragglers falling behind. The titans had all stopped in the same location, which meant that they had caught up to where the other soldiers were with the captured titan. Levi bit his bottom lip, images that he never wanted to see imprinting themselves right before his eyes. Dozens of bloodied corpses scattered all over the forest floor, titans with the crimson liquid dripping from their lips, the agonized and bone-chilling screams in the air, it was all Levi could see. This was the one thing he hated about being in the Survey Corps. All he ever experienced was death, with hardly anything else occupying his time. Ever since he witnessed his mother being butchered right in front of him, the only thing he could see in situations similar to hers was blood and destruction. It happened again when the walls broke and Carla was eaten by that demented smiling titan.

Hannes had tried to make him look away and he tried his very best not to, but hearing Eren’s screams had forced him to abandon that thought. He made the mistake of looking up right at the moment Carla was placed inside that titan’s vile mouth, and the sight of her being torn in two and her blood splattering all over the place was the moment that Levi knew he was going to be subjected to that kind of torture many more times in the future. And here he was, already witnessing more people lose their lives when they could’ve done so much more. They were taken away before they were ready to move on, and Levi wasn’t going to let himself or his friends be the next victims.

“They’re all gathered around that titan, but I don’t know what they’re doing,” Eren said, drawing Levi from his depressing thoughts. He blinked twice, trying to force his rather unpleasant visions away from the forefront of his mind. He’d be of no use if he let his brain control him like that. He’d get distracted and end up costing someone their life, and he didn’t want to harbor that guilt or responsibility just yet. If someone here died because of him making a wrong move, he’d never forgive himself. That would be too much for his conscience.

“Well, we haven’t heard any screams so I guess that’s a good thing,” Isabel responded. “Yeah, but that’s not very reassuring either. What the hell is going on then?” Furlan said right after. Levi could hear the two of them going back and forth on the different possibilities, but he tuned them out, his focus completely on Eren and his reactions. The brunette’s focus was entirely on whatever was going on where the titan was located. His eyes never strayed from the thick trees that blocked his view from the titan, his green orbs locked in on that specific location so intently that Levi didn’t think anything would be able to distract him.

It was odd that nothing had happened yet. They were in the outside world, surrounded by titans that wanted to eat them as if they were the last meal they’d ever get, but they weren’t attacking. In a place like this, there should be dozens of those monsters swarming them from all directions like a pack of wolves. Why weren’t they attracted to them? Not that Levi was complaining, but this behavior was unnatural and he hated it. He couldn’t predict what was going to happen if the titans weren’t making their intentions clear, and that placed them at a great disadvantage.

“Isn’t that steam over there? It’s where we just came from,” Isabel said as she pointed above the trees, where a cloud of thick steam was rising into the sky. At first, it could’ve been mistaken as a smoke signal from one of their flares, but the lack of color and the heat that could be felt even from their far location squashed that thought away. The soldiers must have been able to get rid of the titans that invaded the forest, which was a good thing. At least now they didn’t have to worry about fending off any titans yet.

But if they accidentally killed that intelligent in the midst of fighting the others, what would they do then? Sure, Levi wanted that thing gone as soon as possible, but if there was a human inside of it, then they needed to know. It would at least help humanity know that there were people that could use this power, and maybe, just maybe, they could recruit this titan to be on their side, to fight for their freedom and wishes like Eren. If they gained another ally with such strong abilities, then that would only push humanity further and give them a huge advantage over the titans.

“I hope that more titans were killed than soldiers. With the amount of people we’ve lost so far, I don’t think we can afford to lose more, especially where that titan is concerned,” Furlan answered, his blue eyes watching as the thick smoke began to rise and slowly disappear. It was such a giant cloud of steam that Levi was sure of the fact that the soldiers at least killed most of their sudden enemies. With people like Mike and Hanji there, the raven wasn’t too worried about them losing their lives now that they didn’t have as many titans to battle.

“Well, it seems like the situation’s been dealt with by the Commander and other soldiers, so let’s just calm down and keep a lookout for any more of those titans, hm?” Gunther offered as he backed away from them, already turning his back on the sea of steam and previous chaos that had grabbed everyone’s attention. No one said a word, but the other three veterans were following the man’s lead before the sound of a pistol being fired shot through the air. Once again, everyone froze and looked back, watching as a blue stream of smoke passed through the steam of the titan.

Levi watched the signal flare, racking his brain for the possible meaning of the color. He paid attention whenever the older veterans discussed the usage of flares, but all of that knowledge went out the window the moment he saw it. The anxiousness of the possibility that something had gone wrong clouded his brain, not allowing him to dig into his memory for what the signal actually meant. All he could think about was seeing dead bodies and titans with bloodies mouths and necks, sauntering their way to find another person to eat.

“A retreat signal? We’re going back inside the walls!” Furlan exclaimed, both in shock and relief as the blue flare started to disappear. It took a while for the blonde’s words to register in his brain, but when Levi finally made sense of Furlan’s declaration, he sighed and let his body lose the bit of tension he had before. He heard Isabel’s excited cheer and the four veterans ordering them to get back on their horses, but the only thing he bothered to notice was Eren’s body almost slumping on the branch. The brunette looked so happy to hear the news of them being allowed to go back home, the relieved smile on his face brightening up his once tense features.

_‘It’s over. This hellish nightmare is finally over,’_ Levi thought as he looked over at his other two friends, Isabel jumping about while Furlan had a hand over his heart, his eyes closing in pure bliss. At the moment, he could care less about why the flare was fired, only knowing that soon, they would all be safe inside the walls. Once he got back, the first thing he was going to do was take a nice, warm shower and get out of these tight clothes, the sweat starting to build up on his skin. He was mildly curious about what happened back there, but he was sure Hanji would explain it all whenever she caught sight of them. No doubt that crazy woman would ramble on and on and turn this terrible mission into something amazing and memorable, even if this was something Levi never wanted to think about again.

“Everything turned out alright, then. That’s good. Now, all of you, untie your horses and let’s ride on until we get out of this forest. We’ll join the first group we see and then head back towards the walls,” Eld ordered, the four veterans using their gear to climb down the tree towards their animals. Levi and his friends followed right behind them, all going in their own directions to untie their horses. Levi petted Rose’s mane, his white companion nudging her snout onto his shoulder in greeting.

He mounted her quickly, the others doing the same, before they all set off, away from the captured titan and towards the end of the forest. It was still quite thick in the area, which meant that they still had a way to go before they’d come across grassland. They needed to be on guard until then, just in case a titan was still alive and wandering around. It’d be a shame if they ran into trouble right when they were heading home. Levi certainly didn’t want to experience that.

No one focused on anything else but escaping the forest, the only noises able to be heard being their horses’ hooves against the hard earth and their green Survey Corps capes flapping in the wind behind them. Levi occasionally flicked his eyes around him, making sure that he didn’t run into a titan that came across them. His blades were still sharp and ready to be used, and his hands were inches away from grabbing them if he needed to. He just hoped that he wouldn’t need to use them.

“How do you four feel about your first successful mission outside the walls?” Petra asked suddenly, apparently trying to put an end to the silence and start a conversation. Her voice captured Levi’s attention, but he didn’t bother with answering. The last thing he wanted to do was talk about this with her, especially since he needed to process all of it first. None of his friends looked too eager to answer either, which must have been a silent declaration that they didn’t feel like discussing this just yet.

“The mission isn’t successful until we’re inside the walls, Petra. Don’t get them all riled up now when we haven’t even left the forest yet,” Gunther warned, casting a look behind him at the woman. “Yeah, right. As if they look so happy to begin with. I’m surprised they all made it out alive,” Oluo remarked, his tone snarky and setting Levi’s nerves on fire. Oh, how he despised Oluo’s sour attitude. That man never seemed to give them a break, even with Isabel and Eren making it clear that he would be in some serious trouble if he crossed them.

“Don’t be so obnoxious, Oluo! They’re strong in their own right, stronger than any of the other trainees I’ve ever seen. They were all in the top ten, so that has to amount to something,” Petra defended fiercely, glaring at the slant-eyed man beside her. Unfortunately for her, it seemed like Oluo didn’t care about the words she was saying. He only snorted and looked away. No matter how much Oluo tried to ignore it, he couldn’t deny that Levi and his friends were one of the strongest soldiers to join the Survey Corps in years. Levi didn’t train like his life depended on it for nothing. He earned his way here and so did his friends.

“For the record, I hope you all know how sorry we truly are for not saying something earlier. I know we could’ve saved those soldiers from that titan, but we just couldn’t risk getting killed ourselves and causing your deaths as well,” Eld apologized again, sounding so regretful and guilty that Levi felt a twinge of pity for the older man. Although, he couldn’t forget what they put him and his friends through so easily. He could possibly forgive, but never forget something like that.

“Yeah, we know,” was all Eren responded with stiffly, offering nothing else to console the thoughts of the soldiers. Eld didn’t look too happy with the answer that he got, but he seemed to understand that it was the most he was going to get for the time being. “Thank you for trusting us before. We really appreciate it and now, thanks to you, we can all go home,” Petra continued, offering them a small smile that made Levi’s mood lift a little. Hearing something like that from Petra was different than if any of the others said it. She actually sounded thankful, and it was towards them. She really did mean what she said.

“Well...we didn’t _completely_ trust you,” Furlan said nervously, sweeping his eyes towards Eren before they settled on Petra again. Eren’s mouth clenched and Levi bit the inside of his cheek to starve off any words he wanted to say. Petra and the others didn’t know that they were going to let Eren transform so that he could deal with the titan. They never knew that they were about to go against their orders and let Eren do what he wanted, when they were given _specific_ instructions to not let the brunette do anything that could jeopardize the mission. The flash of hurt that crossed Petra’s face made Levi feel guilty about what they had done, but he didn’t find a single ounce of regret in his body. He was doing what he thought was right, and that was all he could’ve done.

“Whether you did or not, it doesn’t matter now. At least we’re all okay and alive,” Gunther said, putting an end to their conversation. Levi felt lucky that none of them asked why, since he was sure that they couldn’t hold back from telling them what they were doing behind their back. They’d be punished for that and Eren would probably get the worst of it. They would all lose any hope they had and possibly give him back to the Military Police so they could deal with him. If that happened, then Levi and his friends wouldn’t see Eren again.

After that comment, everyone quieted down and continued to ride through the forest, trying to find another soldier so that they could group together and get the hell out. Levi was confused as to why no one had crossed their path yet, seeing as the fact that they had been traveling for quite a while now. No sound of other horses nearing them alerted that someone was close by. They were all still stationed at the edge of the forest, then. Hopefully there were a few on this side, where no titans seemed to come in from. At least then they wouldn’t have to ride back the way they came.

Levi, now with the probability of coming across a titan low, let his mind wander to the titan they had trapped back there. If this titan was really a human, and if this person knew of their formation tactics like they thought, would he know them? People in the military were the only ones who had an idea how they operated outside the walls, which meant that this person needed to be in either the Military Police or Garrison, a branch that wasn’t a part of this mission. There’s no way that someone from the Survey Corps could be that titan, because someone would’ve sent off a flare signal if a soldier was missing from their formation. Unless this person simply killed everyone that they were with, Levi couldn’t see someone from their branch doing this.

Also, this person needed to share some resemblance to the titan they controlled. After all, Eren still had some of his characteristics in his titan form, like his tan skin, green eyes, and brown hair. This mystery person had to at least be blonde and have blue eyes, which didn’t really help narrow the search. But, at least he had a group he could pick from. That was better than scouring everyone in either branches. It wasn’t like he or his friends would get to help out in this situation, since they didn’t have the power to accuse someone of their horrible deeds. The Commander or Hanji had that privilege, depending on the branch this person was a part of.

“Look! There’s another flare!” Oluo announced, making Levi jump from his saddle. The older man was looking towards their left, and when the raven turned his head, he indeed saw green smoke filtering the blue sky above them. It looked as if whoever fired it was close by, making Levi wonder why he didn’t hear them. Maybe he was _too_ engrossed in his thoughts. He really needed to work on that.

It took a few seconds for him to catch a glimpse of whoever shot the flare, but he eventually caught sight of a soldier flying through the air thanks to their gear. The signature Survey Corps cape was pulled up so that the person’s head was covered within the hood, probably so that they could camouflage themselves with the trees in case a titan came through. Their blades were drawn defensively, but they made no sign of turning their head so that Levi and the others could get a good look at them.

Levi expected to see more soldiers following behind, but it was just the one that he was watching that appeared from the depths of the forest. It was a little odd, but perhaps it was just a soldier that was sent by Commander Erwin to retrieve them while the majority stayed behind to keep an eye on their hostage. More were needed to keep the titan in check compared to any other they’ve encountered before.

The unknown soldier stayed where they could see them, but they didn’t move any closer. They were a few feet in front of them, Gunther taking the lead in following whoever it was to safety. They were led in a different direction, Levi guessing that it was where the rest of the soldiers were stationed while this whole fiasco played out. They remained on their horses, but when Levi noticed that the soldier was actually getting further away from them, he questioned whether riding on horseback was the best way to get out quickly enough.

Apparently, he wasn’t the only one.

“Everyone, switch to maneuvering gear! We’ll travel much faster and meet up with that soldier up ahead. It’s probably Hanji, judging by the body type,” Gunther ordered before he shot his cables and flew into the air, letting his horse roam behind him. Levi and the rest followed his example, abandoning their animals and taking to the air as their cables launched themselves into the thick trees scattered around.

Levi looked back at his horse, worried that she might end up getting lost, but he found that she, along with all of the others, were still following them. Of course, they were quite a few feet behind, but Levi could still easily notice them in the forest. Perhaps they were trained to follow their owners whenever this stuff happened. It would explain why the soldiers never seemed to lose their horses on missions outside the walls.

Feeling secure that his animal would be okay on her own, Levi focused his attention on keeping up with the others. The four veterans were in front of them while his friends stayed close by, all of them within inches of each other. They expertly maneuvered between the trees while staying clear of each other’s patch, working together to catch up with the soldier that was getting further and further away.

_‘Why are they going so fast? What the hell are they trying to do?’_ Levi asked himself, watching very closely as the hooded soldier blended in with the leaves and disappeared from his sight. He could still faintly hear the whirl of the 3DMG, but that didn’t help in locating the soldier. They completely vanished, leaving Levi and the others alone once again.

“What the hell?! Where did they go?!” Eld wondered as he looked sideways, his eyes frantic as they searched for their missing companion. What reason did this soldier have to suddenly vanish when they were supposed to regroup? They had to stick together in order for them to escape this place, and they didn’t have time to be playing a game of hide-and-seek.

“Look around! They have to be around here somewhere. When I find out who this is, they’re gonna have a piece of my mind for pulling a stunt like this!” Gunther seethed, glaring at the forest as if it was responsible for their current predicament. Levi’s eyes scanned the forest once more, but he couldn’t find a single trace of their newcomer anywhere. Judging by the frustrated groans coming from Eren, Furlan, and Isabel, they weren’t having luck either.

How the hell could they lose a soldier this fast? A titan wasn’t responsible, so they did this all on their own. What kind of joke was this? This wasn’t the time or the place for stuff like this, and Levi now knew that this soldier wasn’t Hanji like Gunther said earlier. While the brunette was a jokester sometimes, she wouldn’t pull a stunt like that during a mission this serious. She wasn’t capable of that and knew better than to cause trouble when they had enough on their plate to deal with.

“This isn’t funny! Where the hell are you?!” Isabel screamed into the forest, her voice echoing through the trees, bouncing from the thick bark. No reply came, but it wasn’t like Levi was expecting one. A weird feeling crept up his spine the longer he searched, making his skin develop goosebumps. Something wasn’t right here at all. For some reason, his brain was telling him that this soldier wasn’t trustworthy, that he should be on his guard now when this mystery person could be right behind him.

He always listened to his gut, so when he saw a flash of movement out of the corner of his eye, he immediately turned his attention towards it. The soldier was right there, he knew it. There was a flash of green and silver before they disappeared, but it was definitely their hiding companion. Levi frowned and pulled out his blades, refusing to not have at least one out in case this soldier caused them trouble. He tried to locate the soldier again, but it seemed like they tried even harder to mask their location.

It went on like that for a few tense minutes, with all of them trying to force the soldier to come out, but with no such luck. Levi was just about to say ‘screw it,’ and tell the others that they should just head back to their horses, but another flash of movement caught his attention. This time, the soldier wasn’t trying to hide anymore. They were out in the open, the hood still covering their face and blades drawn out and posed in a fighting position.

They were flying at top speed towards them, or more specifically, towards Gunther, the one who was leading their group. The older man didn’t seem to notice the soldier approaching him, since his back was towards them. Levi could hear Isabel’s breath hitch and he couldn’t help the feeling of terror as he watched the soldier get closer. Gunther was a sitting duck for an attack. He didn’t have a good way to defend himself and he was too far in order to help him out. By the time any one of them got close enough, the damage would already be done.

Even though it was a lost cause, Levi opened his mouth to shout a warning to the older male. Maybe if he said something, then he’d at least be able to do _one thing_. “Gunther! Watch out! Behind you!” he screamed earnestly, watching as the dark-haired soldier jumped at his voice and sharply turned around to face him. His eyes were confused and alarmed, but he didn’t get the chance to say anything in return before the unknown soldier got to him.

One of Gunther’s cables was severed by the blades and the older man lost his balance, only one cable suspending him in the air. He cried out in alarm and he lost his grip on his blades, leaving him utterly defenseless as he fell prey to the soldier that attacked him. Levi, as well as the others, could only watch as one of their own was almost beheaded in front of them, the soldier managing to use one of their blades to slice through Gunther’s neck in one swipe.

It was deathly quiet as Levi watched with wide eyes as the life left Gunther’s body. He could see the moment the older man gave up, the light in his eyes dimming until they were almost black. The soldier that had killed him quickly flew away, letting everyone see the state they had left their comrade in. Gunther’s body was strung upside down, his one working cable still attached to the tree trunk. His arms were dangled above him, swinging back and forth slowly.

But the most horrible thing was the fact that Gunther’s neck was almost completely cut off, his head hanging on by a thin piece of skin. Levi could _smell_ the blood that poured out from the wound, the copper liquid dripping onto the dirt and grass below them. His eyes, which he wished to close, could see the bones and muscle that were on display for them all to see. Gunther’s eyes were left wide open, his mouth parted as if he was about to say something, though that would never happen again.

Levi heard the chocked screams from Petra and the gagging noises from Furlan and Isabel, but he ignored it all. All he focused on was the sight of Gunther’s lifeless body, a body that looked eerily similar to his mother’s when she was killed in almost the same way. Only this time, it was much worse. There was more blood, more terror, and more pain to accompany it, and Levi felt his breath quiver and his body shake as he kept watching the blood escape from Gunther’s corpse.

His heart began to beat erratically inside his chest, but this time, he had no adrenaline left inside his body. The only thing that he felt was complete and utter terror. It was so severe that he almost let his blades slip from his fingers, but he held on tight.

He was afraid.

He was afraid of seeing Gunther’s body displayed in such a grotesque manner.

He was afraid of being inside this forest.

He was afraid of being near such a ruthless killer.

But the reason he was most afraid…

...was because he knew that Gunther wouldn’t be the only one...


End file.
